Legacy I: Catalyst
by SynnoveD
Summary: Threats of war are made by a rising organization known as Syndicate & grow stronger after they take responsibility for the rebirth of ancient beings known as Empyrals, individuals genetically infused with Guardian Force properties, transforming them into living gods among men.
1. Prologue

_A/N - This is a fanfiction that contains content intended for mature adults and chapters have been updated and listed with an 'Adult Content Warning' at the beginning. With that said, I invite you into my story and if you appreciate the hard work put into this fanfic, I would love to hear a few words of encouragement or criticism._

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Squall looked himself over from head to toe in the full length mirror beside the stage, making sure absolutely everything was perfect before he was to step out in front of the twelve hundred in attendance.

 _Twelve hundred... twelve hundred... twelve hundred people watching me..._

This was his first Summit meeting he was able to attend and as a representative of Garden, Squall needed to make sure he looked his absolute best. The speech was prepared and memorized, Quistis had cleanly re-written Selphie's cliffnotes on smaller, more ordinary cards which rested neatly in his pocket. Selphie was a huge help in putting his speech together but he could barely read her swooping, bubbly handwriting engrossed on the neon orange and green cards. He knew it looked unprofessional to use the cards, so as a backup he played the speech over in his head, reminding himself that twelve hundred people were going to be listening, watching, waiting for him to mess up.

If he was going to be the representation of what the rest of the free world believed Garden to be, Squall needed to look perfect. He couldn't give them reason to believe that he was in charge because his father was the president of Esthar or because he came from an old family blood line like Leonhart. When he gained notoriety for being the SeeD Operative who defeated Ultimecia, truths came out that he had not expected. He learned that Leonhart was an old name that originated in Galbadia, he learned that the foolish man he once dreamed of had been his father, he learned so much in just the few short years as did the rest of the world.

It didn't matter as much to others, but Squall took his public representation very seriously once the people of the world began to associate him as 'legendary' and 'heroic.' He didn't understand why it mattered so much to him but it did. Everyone else carried on about their lives but it seemed Squall was often the target of scrutiny by the media over the tiniest reasons. Had this always been how the world was or did he only just now notice it because of his status in Garden? Until recent he had learned of the settlements hidden away in Centra and the endless number of Guardian Forces that were still on the planet, what else did he not know? Perspective was a precarious thing.

Lost in his thoughts, Squall returned back to reality once people began to walk on stage. He continued to adjust his SeeD uniform, fumbling at the silver cuff links. Twelve hundred people watching. The leather baldric felt tight, the belt snug. He had worn the uniform countless times and always felt uncomfortable but now even more so. Was he getting fat? He considered dieting, even if his stomach was a washboard. Dieting wouldn't help him now, anyway. The collar was constricting, he felt his cheeks flush. Was he getting enough oxygen? Was he going to pass out when he walked on the stage? What if he tripped? What if they started asking questions about the new policies going into effect in the new year? What if they ask him about Ultimecia?

"You look fine, stop fidgeting."

Squall's eyes darted up to greet Ellone as she appeared behind him, graceful in the gold satin dress she had worn at his wedding. Even if they weren't truly related, he still saw the similarities in her that he also shared. Her hands reached up, smoothing out his shoulders, tugging the thick fabric tight. He looked down at his hands, clenching them, feeling his nails digging into the skin. He hated being so nervous.

Ellone turned him around, away from the stage, away from the noise and the mirror. She reached for his hands, holding them tight to her chest. "You're getting yourself worked up again." Her hand cupped the sides of his face. "Don't let them see your fear. You have to go out there and be strong, proud. Like a lion."

"..." Squall released the breath he had been holding in. His throat felt dry, scratchy. "I didn't realize there would be so many people." His eyes wandered to the curtain. Twelve hundred people. Beyond the curtain was the stage where he and the Balamb team would stand among some of the most prominent dignitaries and politicians representing Galbadia, Trabia, Balamb, Dollet and Esthar. There had even been a man arriving to represent the people of Centra from the small community that had resided in the mountains of Alnaj. The people who ran this world. And Squall? Squall was barely an adult.

Barely an adult... and his father wanted him to play politician.

Ellone brought his gaze back to hers, repeating herself with a firmer tone. "Like a _lion_. Raine would be telling you the same thing..."

Squall closed his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sis was always right. His calm center was disrupted when the lights illuminated the stage. He felt her hand in his, squeezing tight as they walked out, listening to the voices in the audience quiet and whisper, his polished leather boots along with Ellone's heels hitting the stage in unison clacked and echoed, seeming to be the only sound he could hear. The cameras flickered and snapped as they walked by and Squall couldn't help but keep his eyes to the floor so he wouldn't be blinded. The last thing he needed was to trip and fall, making an absolute ass out of himself. Behind him he could hear the footsteps of Quistis, Zell and Selphie following from behind. Applause grew, as did Squall's anxiety.

They were escorted to their seats across the stage as members of the newly formed Unified Council sat the opposite. The representatives from the countries smiled and waved as the applause erupted louder. Ellone left her brother's side, moving to the podium. Squall tried to find the vision in signature blue out in the crowd but all he could see were stage lights. He knew she was there, watching him as she held their newborn baby. If his daughter wasn't crying now it meant that she was sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms and that thought was what brought a smile to Squall's lips.

 _I can't see you... but I know you're both there..._

Ellone waited until the applause died down to speak, her confidence radiated through the stage. Even if Laguna adopted her, she proved that she was a Loire through and through.

" _Thank you all for attending such a momentous occasion here with us in Esthar. Allow me to speak as a representative to the Unified Council, who are truly honored that you are joining them in celebration. Together, unified, we can bring about a change to this world for the better."_

There was a brief moment of applause. Squall turned his head, spotting his father among the Council members as he watched Ellone with a proud smile.

" _I would like to present to you tonight our first speaker, Head Councilor and lifelong President of Esthar, Laguna Loire!"_

Laguna stood in his 3 piece suit, walking to the podium as the applause became deafening. Cameras and lights flashed again, all eyes on Squall's long lost father. Everyone watched as Laguna raised his hands high, greeting the audience before kissing Ellone's cheek as she returned to her seat beside the man Squall knew as her fiancé. The moment he stood at the podium Laguna raised his hands again, and the applause grew even louder.

 _Always with the dramatics...at least he's overcome those incessant leg cramps otherwise we may be here all night..._

Laguna removed his jacket, leaning it over the podium as he reached for a glass of water and gulped it down. He stuck his hands in his pockets, acting as though public speaking was nothing to him, as if this occasion wasn't something he needed to care too much for.

 _How is this man my father? Nothing about him speaks professionalism..._

Squall watched as Laguna turned his head to steal a glance of Squall from over his broad shoulder, as if he had heard the thought that crept in his son's head. He smiled before looking back, his left hand raised to display the ring on his finger.

" _I lost the love of my life, my beautiful wife, Raine, twenty years ago. She died just a few days after our son was born."_ He took in a long pause, his hand going into his pocket. _"Estharian soldiers took our adopted daughter, and because of my devotion to my family I went after her. I was a soldier. My best friends Kiros and Ward, they were soldiers, and the three of us overthrew Adel, we rescued Ellone but my work wasn't finished..."_

The vibration in Squall's pocket heeded the attention on his father's speech. Quistis turned her head to Squall as he retrieved his phone, recognizing the number but did not answer.

"Who is calling you?" She asked just barely a whisper, keeping her head forward as her eyes remained on the screen. "Squall, is that–"

Squall canceled the call, hurrying to quickly shove his phone back in his pocket. "That's four times in the last hour..."

"How did he get your number?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Squall tried to listen to Laguna's speech, barely able to catch any of it at all with Quistis shifting to sit closer, leaning in.

"Squall... I know that we agreed that we would _never_ speak to him again but if he's _calling_ you _directly._.. maybe he needs our help..."

"Xu has been handling it... or at least I thought she was. I would be just fine if we never speak again."

"Yo... maybe we should..." Zell joined in the conversation, leaning to poke his head between Quistis and his Commander, "He's one of _us_ , man..."

"No. I forbid it." Squall snapped, his harsh whisper coming out louder than intended. "I will _not_ have my Operatives falling into another one of his ploys...he's too dangerous. It's bad enough that the UC pardoned him, what more could he possibly have to do with us? He has his free pass and I can only imagine all he wants now is to start trouble. This conversation is over." With a sigh, Squall adjusted his SeeD jacket and relaxed the moment Zell and Quistis leaned back into their seats as well.

A few sentences into the speech Squall's phone erupted once more in a fit of vibrations and when he reached down to cancel the call once more, it slipped out of his pocket and clattered onto the floor. Feeling all the eyes in the room locking directly onto Squall, he grimaced in embarrassment, moving down to reach but Quistis was faster, snatching it up and exiting off stage.

Cursing under his breath, Squall started to stand and follow but Zell planted his hand on Squall's shoulder from behind, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. This couldn't be happening. He could only imagine what the rest of the people in the room thought of him now, seeing he had little control over his Operatives.

There was a low murmur as Laguna stumbled on his words, turning back to Squall as his son quickly hid his face over a single hand on his forehead. The heat of the blush reddening his cheeks washed over him, causing his ears and the back of his neck to burn. He gestured to his father to continue, cocking his head to the side to watch Quistis as she held a finger to her ear.

"...you have to calm down... No, this isn't Squall – it's Quistis... what's happening...?"

 _Damn it, Quistis. Why can't you just listen to me?_

Quistis turned to Squall, gesturing for him to come to her. He shook his head, shifting in his seat to face away from her. Even if he couldn't see her, sitting so close to the side of the stage she was on meant he was stuck listening to her.

"You have to slow down, I can barely understand you... no... no – don't do that just – hang on... Squall! Squall, it's an emergency!" Quistis' harsh whispers were heard but went unanswered.

"Should I –"

"Don't you dare, Zell..." Squall folded his arms, chewing on the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. "This is embarrassing enough as it is... just _please_ stay in your seat."

He blocked it out. The phone conversation, Zell's frustrated sigh, the twelve hundred people watching, all of it. Squall had extended his olive branch to Seifer and when he turned it away and so rudely snubbed him the day had been pardoned, he realized that there was nothing more to be done. He was happy to believe that they could go on living and Seifer would vanish into the crowds of civilian life, never to resurface or gain enough momentum to rise up as a threat to humanity ever again.

Squall didn't mean to be so callous and cold, not anymore. He tried to be a better person, be more open and approachable because he knew it made Rinoa happy but when it came to Seifer Almasy, the wounds were still fresh.

Laguna's speech boiled up to being how much of a proud father and grandfather he had been, knowing that his son was now the Commander of Garden, Commander of the Unified Council's SeeD Collective. Squall smiled and nodded in acknowledgment when the applause was directed at him. He even stood out of respect for his father's beautifully composed speech, trying to keep up with the appearances of being a strong leader, despite the rumors of his nervousness around large crowds.

Truth was, Squall had been considering the idea of stepping away from the position of leadership. After a lengthy discussion with his former Instructor Aki, he thought that becoming an Instructor would be a better suited position for someone like him. Cid and Matron had returned to Garden, and Cid greatly enjoyed being in charge. It also meant that he would have more time for Rinoa and their new baby.

Another member of the Unified Council had taken the stage and began to speak when Quistis returned back to her seat, handing back Squall's phone. He snatched it up and turned it off completely before shoving it into his pocket. There would be no further interruptions after this, at least... or so he had thought.

"Your orders were to not speak to him, did you forget?" Squall glared, he didn't mean to be so callous to Quistis either.

"Squall," Quistis was choosing her words carefully, speaking slow. "Something's happened. He needs our help."

Selphie had been sitting next to Squall, hanging on every word that 'Sir Laguna' had said. It was fairly obvious that her crush on the man had never wavered, even with the rumors that she had been dating a female instructor in Trabia Garden. She spent her time sitting beside Squall quiet and completely engrossed, hastily jotting down her notes for the blog update she would be making shortly after the Summit was over. Once Laguna had finished his speech, she was completely disinterested in much of anything else, patiently waiting for her turn at the podium. When Quistis had returned, it garnered her attention and she was now involving herself. Squall leaned back as Selphie invaded his personal space, planting a hand on his shoulder to see Quistis better.

"What's going on with Seifer?"

"He's accusing Caraway of kidnapping."

"Kidnapping? Seriously?" Selphie had no control over the volume of her voice. Even at a whisper the whole stage could hear. Squall glanced over to Caraway as he sat with the other members of the council, discovering that he had been watching Squall for who knows however long. It always made him nervous when his father in law would stare.

"I'm worried..."

"Why is he accusing Caraway of kidnapping? That seems a bit far-fetched, yeah?" Zell had leaned in again, butting in as always.

"It does, but when has Seifer ever fabricated a story like that? He said that Fujin and Raijin are missing also..."

"What do you mean 'missing also?' Someone else was taken? Who?"

Squall shifted in his seat and out of the corner of his eye, watched as Caraway leaned over to speak with the blonde man who sat beside him, the man representing Centra. Both men looked over at Squall in unison, the cold blue eyes of the Centran sending a cold chill down Squall's back.

 _Why does he look so familiar to me? Why does he make me so uncomfortable?_

Squall cleared his throat, struggling to listen as three separate voices spoke loud enough to deafen the sound of the only female Council member – Duchess Eliza Peylt of the Dollet Dukedom, deliver her speech discussing energy conservation and routine policies for the coming year.

"I tried to get it out of him but Seifer wouldn't say... he said that he would _only_ tell Squall."

"What can I do about it? It's not my problem." Squall dismissed, shaking his head, feeling smaller and smaller the closer Zell, Selphie and Quistis leaned in. "This is not the right time to discuss this. Drop it."

"Squall... he sounds serious."

"Seifer's always serious but so am I. I'm _not_ helping him, it's _not_ my problem." When Squall turned his head back to Caraway, he saw the golden-haired, strikingly blue eyed Centran man watching him again, his face cold and void of any hint of emotion.

"Oh man... s-so, where is he now?"

"He's on his way to Deling City. That's why we need to stop him from doing whatever it is he said he would do..."

"Which is what?"

"I don't know... that's what scares me. Squall... _please._.. just call him back..."

Squall drowned out their conversation, feeling more eyes on him than he could imagine. He closed his eyes, lowering his head so he didn't have to squint from the lights that seemed to glow brighter the longer they sat on the stage. He concentrated hard on not hearing anything at all that he barely caught on that Ellone had returned to the podium and was calling his name to come and make his address to the Summit.

He stood, adjusting his jacket and taking a step forward. Squall heard his name called several times behind him as he walked away. He decided to drop a rank for each Operative who called his name. Zell had already lost three ranks in the time he made it to the podium, if he tried to interrupt his speech he would double that number by the end of the night.

 _They don't get it. None of them do._

Squall hated having to place his role as Commander over his friends, the people he cared so much about, but aiding Seifer Almasy would have placed their organization at risk and he couldn't chance that. Their duty, their jobs as SeeD was to now serve the Unified Council and the countries it represented. No longer were they a mercenary group for hire by civilians. They could now only answer to the governments they swore to protect.

The trip to the podium felt much longer than he had anticipated. He began to feel nervous until he looked over the hushed audience, seeing his vision in blue holding their beautiful baby girl. He smiled, feeling all senses of dread and anguish wash away. The thoughts of Seifer Almasy and the responsibilities Squall held as Commander slowly faded off into nothingness as he shared a gaze with the love of his life, the mother of his child, his beautiful wife, Rinoa Heartilly-Leonhart.

Squall cleared his throat as he discreetly pulled out his notes from the pocket lining the inside of his SeeD uniform, ready to deliver a speech that would change the course of Garden's regulations.

 _Strong and proud, like a lion._


	2. Hardwired

The job was simple. Infiltrate, Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection. This was her job. The five years she spent training for this moment – Her first kill, her first execution. This was the moment when her role in Syndicate would be tested and determined.

Nino Mireille was in a group of twenty recruits. Over the course of five years it took to make it to the ranks of a Syndicate agent. Syndicate recruits underwent a series of evaluations and tests to determine where they would be best suited in the Family. In the end, only seven survived the class of twenty.

The compound had been built just outside the canyons of the Yaulny region near Dollet. The outside walls of the compound matched the colors of the canyons, making their home virtually undetectable from a distance. Past the guarded steel doors was a two level home, shaped like a long rectangle – this was where Nino called home for most of her life. She spent her childhood years playing outside in the center of the compound's walls. Buildings that housed the Agents and recruits were opposite of her home. A bunker which was used to hold prisoners, weapons and supplies in a small building to the left. It led deep underground into areas Nino never knew existed. Her other homes were much of the same. Compounds of identical in structure but landscapes, sights and smells were different. Her favorite was the one that rested deep in the Grandidi Forests, virtually undetected. It lay not too far from the Chocobo Forests, and in the Spring and Summer months, she was able to leave the safety of the compound to visit.

The final seven had stood in perfect formation, waiting for their ranks to be called. They had become familiar with the compound, spending each day and night being tested, trained. A ceremony of sorts began at midnight when their Leader and Commander Endrik Mireille stepped outside and walked down the row, observing his new recruits. His cold eyes stopped at Nino, studying her.

The leaders of the five Squad Cells stood in the shadows, waiting for their recruits. Nino knew that _she had been chosen to join the ranks as a member of Squad B_ – Espionage. It would mean that she would become a Squad B Spy, just like Reya, her best friend since she was eight, her 'sister' in the Family. Becoming a spy would mean that she would be involved with the Infiltration teams. It was her chance – her chance to finally see the world outside of the compound.

Endrik's plans had laid for her elsewhere. His cold calculating eyes landed on her when she watched him say the words: "You scored the highest in the fields that applied to assassination and execution. Nino, you've been assigned to Squad A."

Her squad commander, Torrin Victarion approached. He stood over her by a foot. Muscle-bound and regal. His black hair was so dark it had a tinge of blue. Nino's hands opened and she was given the blade of the Assassin. It was a lightweight weapon with a matte black finish, her first blade.

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Commander." Nino stood, unwavering, unfeeling. She would have wanted to have been able to join Reya, but her mind told her that it was the will of the Syndicate, the will of her father – that was never hers to question.

The memories creeped in her mind. She remembered the day she had began her training. So weak, so wasteful. Nino had fallen to her knees, pleading. She wanted to go home, to Dollet. She wanted to be with _him._ After five years she struggled to remember every detail but she could never forget his eyes the color of the sea. Torrin had those same eyes. She tried to picture him in her mind. Syndicate had made her forget so much but she still remembered the way his skin felt after being at the beach, his head of short golden hair, the look of his blue-green eyes when she would catch him looking at her. She even loved that even with his crooked scar he was still dashing, never letting it change him. He was arrogant, cocky, smug but she loved him...or at least she thought she had. It was hard for her to remember.

The closest memory she could recall was how she could still feel how tight her father's hand was when it wrapped around her throat. He dragged her back among the ranks of twenty. "There is no more discussion, there is no taking it back. As your leader, I command it, Nino Mireille. You will do it or you will die. It is time for you to learn your place in this Family." When he had released the grip she gasped, falling to her knees.

"Please...please, father!" She fought back the urge to cry.

She remembered her father's words: "You had your taste of freedom and look what it cost you." Nino had humiliated herself already by calling upon her father, the man standing as their leader. Before her training, she never wanted this life. She never wanted to be a part of any of it... but that was a lifetime ago in her eyes. Training killed the Nino from before.

" _I'm a monster, a killer..."_ Nino was barely seventeen when she the words come from the mouth of the Sorceress Knight himself. It was the last thing he had said to her before giving her final order to prevent the SeeD team from reaching Adel and Rinoa. She will never forget the crazed look the Knight had, the way Rinoa pleaded with her. Rinoa had used their childhood friendship as a way to try to get into Nino's head. But like Seifer Almasy said, there was no going back.

 _Focus, Nino. You must never mention his name again._

Eight years had passed since then. Now twenty-five, she stood in the ledge of an open window inside the building labeled Trabia Garden Library. She scanned the area for a good spot to shoot in the cloudless dawn. The statuesque female bent around, lifting up a cable launcher. She cautiously aimed toward the lower roof diagonally from the courtyard. Her aim with the guns was still not precise. Her training lie in close combat. She fired the cable across, watching as it tightened, ready. A satisfied grin played on her face as she turned, securing the line on an I-beam.

She hoisted the t-shaped cable handle onto the thick line. Grabbing her kit bag and securing it across her back, she was ready for flight. Taking in a deep breath, Nino stepped off the ledge of the window and into the darkness. Sliding across the long drop, she landed safely on top of the Dormitories. She peered over the edge, calculating the risks of going in from the ground floor or taking the access hatch.

 _Access hatch is safer. I can walk into the hallway and bypass any of the Operatives guarding the entrances._

She would have been amazed at how safe and relaxed Trabia Garden made her feel. Instead, she felt relieved, the shift was changing so the SeeD Operatives were slack in their patrols. She couldn't blame them. The cold air nearly stung the exposed skin on her face and neck. The job still needed to be finished.

She used to envy the students in Galbadia Garden. She understood then and now why the ones who stayed to fight did it to protect the home they loved. This was the kind of place worth dying for. She was unsure if she felt that for Syndicate. The appreciation turned to guilt when she reminded herself she was the enemy here. She was the one that these students would sacrifice their lives to keep out. Nino picked up the pace. The sun would be up the next half hour. She had to hurry.

Forcing open the access door, she stepped into the stairwell, removing the black leather jacket and pants. She hurriedly changed her clothes, her guise was of a SeeD Cadet. Her long brown hair was tucked under the itchy blonde wig; a headband matching the yellow sash she tied around her neck was placed delicately on the wig. As she shoved an earpiece in her ear, she turned it on, "Reporting in." She waited for a response.

" _What's your situation?_ " Her Squad Leader, Torrin.

"Infiltration successful. Cable line was retrieved. Proceeding." She spoke low, quick. Calculated, like her father. "Inside B-Dorm, top floor."

" _Cafeteria is clear. No sign of target. Recon must be right, target must be in the Dormitories."_ Reya confirmed the noise of a Cafeteria around her.

"Proceeding into the Dorms now." Nino adjusted her uniform a last time. She sucked in a breath and opened the door.

" _A lot is riding on this. I expect an update before your next checkpoint."_ Endrik's voice lacked the encouragement every father should have. She couldn't recall a time when he was ever caring or loving to her. The same, cold and angry tone followed her into adulthood. Syndicate was like this. Emotionless, pitiless. Compassion and love was lost on them; there was no room for it.

"Checkpoint's clear. Proceeding." Nino spotted a small stack of books that sat neglected beside a male student chatting up a pretty girl in an alcove used for study. If she was going to play as a student, having the books could come in handy.

She smiled a bright smile with empty green eyes as she passed a group of students. Infiltrate, Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection. Nino repeated the words over and over in her head until they didn't sound like words any longer. Her assignment had given her three days to compile information on her target. The... person... had been someone that she had already known of. It was someone she admired in her past life.

 _Target... female, approximately twenty-five years of age. Short, 5' 1 ½. Medium length brown hair, green eyes, fair complexion, slender build._

This was Nino's only shot eliminating the target. The target was leaving in a matter of hours to Balamb – the central hub for the SeeD Military Collective.

 _Target is Lieutenant Commander to the Recovery & Innovation Subdivision Branch of SDMC. The... target... is a humanitarian, a kind spirit. Highly known by many as one of the six who defeated Ultimecia and is compassionate for those displaced by_ _Ultimecia's war. She is... good..._

With that thought in her mind, Nino had stopped in her tracks. She watched the students through distant eyes walk past her. She was invisible. Nino blinked, feeling a stinging in her eyes that was foreign.

 _Why did they choose this... person... to be my target? Compassionate and genuinely kind hearted people aren't exactly the people that she imagined to be killed. No, she is good. Selphie is Selphie, she's not a target to be killed...Not killed. Eliminated. It is a Target and will remain a target until it is eliminated. Focus. Infiltrate, Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection._

Nino gripped the stolen books across her chest tight. Her body told her to press forward but her mind wouldn't tell her legs to move. Conflicted, her smile dropped.

 _Is this a test? What if I'm being trapped? If the rumors are true it would be a perfect chance to eliminate the week. Elminate... Target... Would that include his own daughter? What if the rumors were true?_

When the Sorceress War had finally ended and Ultimecia was destroyed, it was President Laguna Loire who made the decision to release Esthar from it's xenophobic borders. When they called a truce between the rival country of Galbadia and they immediately initiated the international ban on Magic and Guardian Forces after Balamb Garden deemed them unsafe for the users that junctioned them. The Unified Council then recruited the Dollet Empire and the newly re-established Centra civilization to join them.

It didn't take long for SeeD to get involved. They were given the opportunity to become their own Military Force for the Unified Council. It was called the SeeD Collective. They had united all three Gardens, using Balamb as their central branch.

 _Balamb... you see him in your mind, don't you? He is there, but you can not feel him any longer..._

" _Status, report?_ " Reya called into Nino's headset. " _Agent?_ "

 _Infiltrate, Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection._

" _Keep chatter to a minimum._ " The sound of her father's voice quieted her mind, quieted all doubt.

Nino began scanning the hall again. Her eyes darted from person to person, trying to match a description.

 _Target... female, approximately twenty-five years of age. Short, 5' 1 ½. Medium length brown hair, green eyes, fair complexion, slender build... Target found._

"Target in sight." Nino stepped into a group of female cadets dressed similarly as she gained a closer vantage point. Her target was easy to spot in a crowd of dark uniforms, the olive green knitted dress and almost glowed like a beacon in the sea of dark blue. Her target had her hair pulled back, messily pulled into a small bun at the top of her head. Nino needed full confirmation without drawing attention to her.

 _This is your duty. Focus, Nino. Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection._

All she needed to do was get close enough to her target.

 _Execute, Escape without Detection. Failure is not an option._

She watched from her vantage point, pushing out any and all thoughts of failure. It wasn't an option at this moment. Failure in the Syndicate was not rewarded with the gift of death. Her failure would mean that she would be the next one on the list for a fate far worse.

The recruits were all set out to infiltrate or to kill their targets, the first recruit didn't even make it back to base. Their remains were found washed up on Mandy Beach, not far from Timber. The second and third were taken away by Torrin himself, Nino's Squad Leader. He dragged the two women by the hair outside and across the compound into the bunker. He whistled, occasionally reassuring the poor recruits that everything would work out fine. They weren't strong enough. It was days before the screaming finally stopped. When Torrin resurfaced, the look in his eyes was like that of an animal. This was the Squad Leader her father chose for her. This soldier, this...monster.

Nino collected her schoolbooks and continued down the hall, closer to her target. She was going to do it. She was ready. The target had her back turned toward Nino. It was the perfect situation. When she would turn around, all it would take would be one quick slash...

 _Execute, Escape without Detection._

The dagger slipped low into her hand. Nino could feel it's sharp edge scrape along her skin. She steadied her arm, pretending to go with the flow of people in the halls, becoming invisible, blending in. Focus, Execute. Yards away, she closed in on the target.

"Selphie!" Two screaming teenagers rushed ahead of Nino, her concentration unbroken. She could see the reflection of the lights in her target's eyes.

 _My target is... Selphie Tilmitt._

Selphie immediately turned, shooting a huge toothy smile at the teen cadets as she became bombarded with a surprise hug attack.

 _Compassion, love, life, happiness... goodness. Kindness. Human. Not a target. Human. She's a human being._

Nino tripped on her own feet, quickly stepping aside and continued to walk. She could smell the scent of lilacs.

"I'm so glad you guys came! Give me a hug, I will miss you both so, so, SO much! Don't worry! This is your first year covering the Garden Festival and you know I wouldn't miss it for the world! Once I'm finished with this Summit Business we'll be back together again!"

 _What would this world be like without such a kind hearted person? You are an agent of chaos. Would the person replacing her put the same amount of love? She is the agent of compassion. She's known around the world for being so... good... You are an Agent of the Syndicate. Life. You are Assassin. Will they continue to innovate? She's human, Nino. Will they... Focus. What would I be doing to this world? No. Focus Nino. No. She's a target... I...does her end justify my mean?_

" _Report."_ Nino's mind quieted. Father.

Nino sat the books down on a cart labeled "Due Library Books" and turned around, her mind clean. Focused.

"I swear I promise! It's going to be fun! I'll see you in a few months. Aww! Gimme another hug!" Selphie giggled, kicking a foot in the air. Everyone around her seemed to glow in her presence.

Nino's hand reached to her, the blade tight in her grip.

 _Execute, Escape without Detection._

She watched as Selphie turned around. Their green eyes met. Nino slid her hand to her targets wrist, gripping tight. She pulled her close, enough to smell the spearmint flavor of her gum. Her lips turned to her ear as she whispered, "I've been sent to kill you. Run."

 _Escape without Detection._

It was over before Nino could see her reaction. She continued down the hall. Stinging in the eyes. Her chest pounded but she walked as calmly as the student beside her. And the one next to her. And the three behind her. She disappeared, blending into the dense crowd of students getting ready for class.

Her mind was clear. She was focused. She infiltrated, observed, executed and escaped without detection. Nino returned to the stairwell to gather her things. She was ready to leave. Too many thoughts, too many memories.

" _Report._ " Torrin Victarion.

 _Focus. Infiltrate, Observe, Execute, Escape without Detection._

"Compromised. Too many eyes." Nino looked down the stairwell, checking for targets.

 _You saved her. She is good but they will be searching now._

There was a long silence. Nino descended the stairwell, calm, calculated. She was trained to follow, not lead. A few moments her earpiece clicked in again. _"Return to the zone immediately."_

"Yes, sir." Inhuman, Unfeeling. Nino began to descend the stairs, blade still in hand.

 _Target._

In an instant her body spun, kicking the SeeD Operative to the wall. He was looking for her. A flick of her wrist, and the blade sang. She stepped forward and jammed her blade into his throat. Her face never flinched when the blood hit her eyes, cold, lifeless green eyes watching his. Nino stepped back, cocking her head to the side as the SeeD held his hands to his throat, drowning in his own blood. He looked stunned, unexpecting.

 _Execute. Escape without detection._

If she had not focused on watching the young SeeD's life leave his eyes, she would have felt the hood go over her eyes, her hands pulled behind her back, and the blunt object knocking her into darkness.


	3. Choice

The sounds of his polished oxford shoes hitting the marble stairs echoed around him. Class was in session and the Garden was quiet as he head towards the elevator. He felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled his phone out to view the message again.

102-A… _Report to CMDR Office immediately. [END OF MESSAGE]._

He pressed the button to the elevator and waited as faculty members stepped out and acknowledged his presence. He may not have been Commander any longer, but he was still treated with respect by his peers. He stepped inside, selecting the top floor.

The black and grey striped button down Squall Leonhart wore that day seemed to have a slimming effect on him when it wore it tucked into his dark grey slacks. He stared into the reflection of the glass, smoothing out the front of the shirt. He felt severely under dressed with a meeting with the Cid. What could he want? He didn't often call the urgent code line.

 _They must have heard news about Trabia. I'm just glad everyone arrived safe._

It didn't take long for news to travel to Balamb that Trabia Garden had been hit with the news of an assassination attempt. Squall was overjoyed to learn that Rinoa and Selphie were safe. Unfortunately, he couldn't say the same for the Operative that was assassinated in Galbadia. It made Squall desire to know why high ranking SeeDs were being executed. He wondered if he would be next. _That was a different time. A different life._ Squall's fingers anxiously tapped on the metal rail that ran alongside the elevator wall.

Squall had been co-teaching the morning lessons with his students when the code was called. The doors of the elevator finally opened and Squall stepped out, creating long strides down towards the reception desk. "My name is Squall Leonhart; I'm here to see Cid Kramer about the 102-A." He pulled out his credentials, surprised when the young girl didn't bother to look at them. "Oh! Commander Leonhart!"

"No, just Instructor. I haven't been in the Commander position in years." Squall rubbed his temple, the girl was obviously new.

"My deepest apologies Instructor Leonhart! High Commander Cid and his wife are in his office with Executive Assistant Trepe." She pressed a green button on her desk. As the doors slowly opened she led him inside. Squall's eyes followed the lush red carpet that led to Cid's desk. Large windows exposed the office to a view of the breathtaking mountains of Balamb. Spring had just ended and he knew that the rain seasons would be reaching their home in the coming months before summer. Squall scanned the room for the High Commander, noting the new changes since his last visit inside the large, open office. The large canopies that had once been suspended against the windows were now gone. The desk was replaced with a smaller one, permitting room for seating.

Footsteps caught Squall's attention as he turned to meet the secretary. "The High Commander will be very pleased to see you've arrived so soon. He is currently speaking with Ms. Trepe right now, but it shouldn't be much longer. Please have a seat, he will be with you shortly. Could I get you anything?" Squall turned and watched as the small brunette offered him a seat. It was obvious she was trying so hard to impress him that she nearly tripped on the stairs that led to the seating area. "Don't feel nervous." Squall took a seat and leaned forward. "Having the new job as secretary in this Garden can't be easy. Just relax, you're doing fine."

"Thank you, Mr. Leonhart." Her smile held a hint of boosted confidence. Squall Leonhart was someone she clearly admired.

He rewarded her hospitality with a small smile. "You know, I think I'll have a water." Her face beamed as she hurriedly left the room and returned shortly with the refreshment. As she reached him, the phone at her desk rang and the smile faded. "Thank you..." Squall smirked, taking the bottle. His fingers brushed hers unintentionally and it looked as though her blushing couldn't be controlled any longer. She fluttered her lashes, smiling wide.

"My name is Ryzia. If you need anything else, _please_ let me know." Her eyes appeared heavy as she walked away, doing her best at keeping composure.

Not long after his eighteenth birthday, it seemed Squall had finally filled out his body in a matter of months, even his new recorded height had him just shy of 5'11. He was positive no one would have noticed it if he had stayed home. Upon his father's request, Squall had taken a temporary leave of absence to spent time getting to know his father and sister in Esthar. Much to his torment upon his return, he had seemed to have garnered the attention of most of the female staff at Garden. Whispered rumors between classes mentioned of a fan club about his hair, which started up shortly after cutting off a few inches. Just enough to keep out of his eyes but longer than what most would have considered as the norm. Squall hardly noticed the changes with the exception of the features of his face. He was beginning to resemble his father more than he had liked, and it seemed Laguna was seldom quiet about that knowledge. His father made it abundantly clear often and loudly that he was a proud dad. Squall was just lucky Sis' was there to step in when Laguna got carried away, which was often...and loud.

The thought of his father reminded him of his own daughter, Alisa. The concept of parenthood terrified Squall until he held his daughter for the first time six years ago. The bond they shared was near instantaneous. He loved her more than anything in the world but the news couldn't have came at a worse time. Garden had finally been re-established as a permanent site in it's original home of Balamb and he was preparing to leave for the first Summit for the Unification. It was there when the Council had voted in maintaining Garden as their own Special Military Force. Interviews, Press Events, Conferences were lined up for the next two years before he heard the news from Rinoa himself.

"We're going to have a baby." She had said. Squall didn't register the words until she said it again. At the time his own relationship with his father was only beginning. He was so inexperienced. Squall knew he didn't have the first idea about parenthood. Much to his surprise, he was a natural at it – just like his father. It seemed to have been the one single subject the two could both discuss without feeling the awkward "long lost father/son" routine.

It wasn't long after Alisa was born that Squall and Rinoa began to fight. Squall couldn't recall the definite point in the relationship where he couldn't stand to share his bed or raise their child together. She would spend less time with the family they started together and more time with her old resistance friends Zone and Watts who led the New Liberation Faction of Timber. Squall had never trusted Zone, and it often caused him to question his and Rinoa's commitment to one another, despite the last several years of their own on-again, off again. It was complicated but Squall didn't have a right to judge her, and couldn't blame her for what she did in her personal time. Shortly after Alisa's third birthday he stepped away from the position of Commander, content with being an Instructor if it meant he could spend all the time in the world with his little girl.

Keeping the peace between them when Alisa was involved was a challenge, although nothing that could prove impossible. They divided their time to be equal with their daughter, although it was very clear who Alisa favored. Squall recalled the argument from the night before, having to explain to his daughter that she would be leaving in the next few days.

"I won't go. I won't." Squall had to conceal his amusement when he remembered the way she defiantly crossed her arms. "You said that I didn't have to go if I didn't want to!" He took a secret victory when Rinoa failed to bribe her with a puppy. After an hour of coercion, the cost of leaving Garden was an extra-double pinky swear that Squall would come get her if she needed him to and a bedtime story every night before she left. The girl was incorrigible. Never in Squall's life did he ever see himself as being a parent, let alone a proud parent of a little girl.

The gust of wind that pushed through the large balcony doors opening pulled Squall's attention away from his thoughts. "There you are!"

Squall immediately stood and watched Matron as she entered the room. The deep purple dress she wore billowed and flowed with each step. She extended her arms out to reach Squall, wrapping them around his neck and held him tight. Squall smiled, holding her back. It had been nearly a year since they had last seen one another. "Matron... I'm very happy to see you are well."

Edea pulled away, her hand cupping the side of his face. "All is as it should be...you didn't bring Alisa?"

"The meeting was urgent, Zell and Rinoa were getting her ready to pack. Should I go get them?"

Squall felt her link her arm into his, holding his hand. "No need, we can see them after. Let's just the two of us talk." They sat down, Edea's hands still holding onto Squall, smiling. Her hand moved up to brush the wisps of hair on his forehead. "How are you, Squall? It's been a long time." Squall looked at Matron for a moment. If there was anybody he could entrust his feelings with, it was Matron. Where would he even begin?

"I'm fine. Things are fine. Rinoa and I are trying... trying to be civil at least. It's a start. I have a great group of students this year, Alisa is excelling at her classes—better at maths than I ever could be." He forcefully let out a small chuckle.

"And how are you sleeping?"

 _She wants to know about the dreams. You should have never told her about them..._

The nightmares that woke him in cold sweats, screaming in fear of an enemy long dead. Ultimecia, faceless in her final form. Squall bound and wrapped beneath her as she's draining the life out of him in order to sustain her own. The long walk into nothingness. The feeling of losing everything he loved.

"Alisa has been asking questions. She wanted to know why I locked my door at night and I had to remind her that it was because the last time she woke me from the nightmares I had..." He gripped onto his own hands, tightening the grip.

 _I could have killed her, Matron. If I hadn't woke up..._

He swallowed hard and stood upright, hands moving right to his face, pushing the emotions back inside. He stepped away, exhaling deeply. When he turned, she was behind him. "What if something happens and I don't wake up? What if I lose her? Would it be easier to have Rinoa take her?"

"My sweet child, you worry too much." Edea and Squall looked towards the doors to the terrace, where Cid and Quistis stood. Squall stood at attention, saluting his High Commander. His eyes moved from behind Cid's greying hair to Quistis, who quickly looked away, her gaze moving to the mountain range. Squall watched as she exhaled slowly, wiping her eyes. Cid wore a warm smile and gestured for Squall to follow him onto the balcony. "Squall, would you join me? We need to discuss a few things before we leave for the Villa. We will join Quistis and Edea back here."

 _Leave for the Villa? What?_

Squall could see that tears were welling in Quistis' blue eyes when Edea approached her and cupped the blonde's cheek. Her sad eyes blinked away the tears as she looked at him, watching them both as Squall and Cid went the opposite direction.

He walked silently alongside with Cid, who was first to break the silence. "Garden has come a long way from when it was just a concept. Looking at it now, it's almost like a dream. More are enrolled here than any other Garden. It's magnificent." Cid continued, their pace slowing. The feeling of uneasiness he felt was almost unbearable.

"What is it that you needed to tell me?" Cid acknowledged Squall's question, reaching a hand inside his vest pocket. He pulled out a silver pocket watch. "Assume that I am retiring, and giving up my position of High Commander of Balamb Garden. Who would you feel could be capable of the responsibilities that are bestowed upon them?"

Squall crossed his arms. "Well, we all know that Instructor Aki has wanted your job for years. But honestly, I don't see him being anything more than an Instructor." He put more thought to it. " Executive Assistant Trepe is the best for the job, sir. She is dedicated her life to Garden. That's who I would choose to lead."

"Ah, yes, but _'Executive Assistant Trepe'_ has declined the position. So who is next? Let's think about this for a moment." Squall thought to himself as they neared the other side of the pathway.

 _There isn't much to speculate. It's right there in your face, sir. I know what you're going to ask, so just ask._

The rest of the walk consisted of awkward small talk in reference to various faculty members. Most of which Squall didn't like even when he was in charge of the Garden. When they reached the terrace, Edea was already waiting with Quistis.

"Please, sit." Cid offered quietly.

 _That's it. I've had enough of this dancing around._

"Sir, what is it you're trying to ask? What is this leading up to?"

"I'm dying, Squall."

There was a silence while Edea motioned for Squall to sit back beside her. The sound of the Balamb's class bells rang as Quistis broke down and stifled a sob. It was clear to Squall she wasn't handling the news well. How Squall was so calm baffled even himself. "Being possessed by Ultimecia's influence took it's toll on my body. I've done all that I can to keep myself alive for as long as I have, but I'm so tired, Squall. I want to keep going, but my time is coming to a close." She continued to smile as she spoke. It broke Squall's heart to see her so positive about her own death. He looked away, feeling the sting of his own tears.

"I don't want tears and I don't want any sadness – from either of you. " She looked back at Quistis, who quickly composed herself, but failed. "You two must be strong – for all of us."

"But Matron, you can't expect me to just –" Squall swallowed, closing his eyes.

"…just take it with a grain of salt?" Quistis shuddered.

Squall felt the Edea's gentle hand brushing away a tear from his lashes. "I don't expect either of you to, but I want you to know that I am accepting death, welcoming its embrace when it chooses to come for me."

Squall opened his eyes, he could see that Edea's smile was gone as she looked off to the mountains. "Death is never joyous news, but you know that it's inevitable."

 _There has to be something – anything that could be done._ Squall tried to find the right questions. "Can't Dr. Kadowaki help? What about Odine? He studied sorceresses – couldn't he have the answers? Let me call my father and we can have everything arranged–"

"Kadowaki referred us to five of the best doctors in Galbadia and the Dollet Empire, who eventually all referred us to Odine, who gave the final diagnosis. We don't have a name for the illness but he calls it Time Sickness." Cid leaned against the marble balcony, hands in pockets as he looked to his beautiful wife.

"Odine has been a tremendous help, but the thing he can't give me is an accurate time. It could be a few months, it could be a few years. And in this time that I have left, I want to spend them with Cid."

 _This is why you're leaving. You're leaving because…_

"The two of you are the ones we trust with keeping things in order from here on out. Nobody else could do a finer job and I truly do believe the Garden would crumble otherwise. We are asking that one of you takes on the burden of being High Commander to Balamb Garden. This would include a place in the Unified Council." Cid rubbed the back of his neck. "When Edea is gone, I don't know what I will do…perhaps go on my own adventure. But until then, I have to spend the rest of my time I have with her in a place where I know we're happy."

 _The orphanage…the Cape of Good Hope._

Squall stood, turning his back from Matron, Cid and Quistis. He looked at the horizon, taking in a breath and wrapping his arms across his chest.

 _This isn't fair. I renounced my position of Commander when Alisa was three. I did it so she could have a father. Being the in charge was the reason why Rinoa and I couldn't sacrifice the time to fix our relationship. Now they are asking me to sacrifice my child having a father who is there for her? Why me? There are more qualified SeeD members who would be more than willing to take this role. Why does it have to be me?_

Squall's head started to ache as he tried to process everything all at once. He felt angry with Matron, angry at Odine, angry with the sorceress who caused this. Squall stepped down from power to raise his daughter. Could he handle the responsibilities of both? He could feel Edea's hand on his shoulder.

 _I have to because I am the most qualified. I am the most experienced. I am the only one they trust to be able to._

"I'll handle it. I'll take the position." Squall turned, rubbing an eye and nodding to Quistis.

"I have a few Instructors in mind. With Selphie here, she could take over for your students so you can start immediately." Quistis offered, taking notes. "As you know, my job as Executive Assistant means that I will be doing whatever I can to help you with this transition.

"Fine." Squall's answer was short, firm.

Cid put a hand on Squall's shoulder. "Squall, I wouldn't put you or Quistis in this position if I knew you two wouldn't be able to handle the responsibilities…"

 _Being in a position of power like this…it's also Matron's dying wish…this is almost too much to handle. What other choices do I have?_

"It's fine. Quistis and I will be able to handle it..." Squall wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.

The meeting came to a close and after several long hugs and goodbyes, the new High Commander stopped at his secretary's desk to request for Ryzia to send Zell and Selphie to the office to speak with Matron.

"Someone will need to reach Irvine to let him know. He's still in G-Garden..." Squall overheard Quistis whisper.

"I'll get him on vidcom this evening." Squall responded, a hand pressing to Quistis' back as they made their way to the elevator. Once inside, it didn't take long for Quistis to break down. He reached across from her and pressed the elevator button and closed the doors. Ryzia didn't need to see the Executive Assistant break down and cry.

"This isn't fair." Her voice was barely a whisper.

 _It never is._

"I know," whispering, Squall's brows softened as his hand reached to brush the loose strands of hair away from her face. She had pulled the low ponytail out to let her hair fall to her shoulders.

Quistis shook her head, "No, you don't..." Another tear fell and Squall brush it away. The touch of her soft cheek gave him pins and needles. He observed the calming magic his hands seemed to have on her. She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. He watched as Quistis took his hand, bringing it up to her face and firmly holding it in place. She sighed and another tear fell from her cheek. Squall couldn't hold back the soft smile.

"I miss you," she sighed.

Squall's smile faded, a thumb ran across her lower eyelid, wiping away the mascara before he pulled it away. Squall could see the the longing pain in her eyes when she looked at him.

 _Just for a moment... just a quick embrace._

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her body against his chest. She hesitated at first but Squall quickly felt her hands pulling him closer, he could feel her hands moving up his back as he looked into her deep blue eyes.

 _Just this once... just one quick..._

Even with her flushed cheeks and the tear streaks she was still beautiful. He could barely resist the urge of wanting her, denying her. The tips of his fingers traced her neck and up to her jaw and across her lips. Quistis exhaled softly, her eyes closing as though feeling his fingertips dance on her skin put her into a trance. He leaned in, deeply breathing in her lavender perfume.

Watching the way she reacted made Squall's lips part. He stared at her soft mouth for the longest time, combating with the urge to press his own against them. His breath was shortening, was it always this hot inside the elevator?

 _Just one. Just one kiss and that's it._

Unable to contain the urge, the gnawing feeling inside of him, he stepped forward, pushing her to the wall and locking his lips onto hers. He heard a moan escape Quistis' throat as she pulled him in as close as possible.

 _Rinoa remembers what you did._

Squall snapped opened his eyes, bringing him back to reality. He had just wiped away the mascara from her eyes. Had he imagined the entire thing? He turned his head away in embarrassment, their bodies were close enough to feel the heat off of one another. Squall released his embrace and stepped back to the opposite end of the elevator. He trembled, trying to clear his head. He couldn't do this, not now. It wasn't right. He desperately wanted to turn around and tell her that it was all a mistake. His ears burned, just as they always did when he blushed. He heard her call his name, this time putting a hand on his back. He flinched and recoiled from her touch.

"I'm sorry, Quistis." Reached for the button for the ground floor and quickly folded his arms. "I can't. I'm sorry."

"You're trying to get back with Rinoa... Oh...I didn't know..." Quistis looked at her feet, with a silent nod she remained quiet until the elevator stopped. The moment the doors opened she rushed past him, the scent of lavender and honey hit him in the face.

–

The SeeD faculty apartments were only slightly larger than your standard dormitory room. It had space for a small kitchen, two rooms and a single bathroom. Squall stepped out of his bedroom, carrying with him a blanket and pillow. He tossed them onto the small two-seat couch in the corner, fully intending Rinoa to take his room for the night. Squall had already taken the liberty to change the sheets and find a clean pillow for her as a type of peace offering during the remainder of her stay. The last thing he wanted to do was to continue the argument they had earlier that morning. After the news of Matron, the assassination attempt on Selphie, having to break the news to Irvine and the endless nightmare of paperwork Ryzia brought for him to sign his life away to and to top everything off, the nightmares. Squall wasn't sure if he wanted to handle any more.

Thankful he had finished the first stack of forms, Squall celebrated with one of the beers Zell had left over from his birthday celebration a few days before. Squall wasn't much of a beer drinker, but there wasn't much else. Cid mentioned it was handy to keep liquor on stock for the stressful days.

Squall sat down at the island in the kitchen area and turned on the television. The background noise would help pass the time. Rinoa said they had been running late but he didn't realize that it would take this long to get back from the library.

His phone chimed with another email. He knew the change of position would be immediate, but he already had a flood of emails from faculty members and press contacts wanting to speak with him about the changes. It was only a matter of time, Squall figured as he picked up his phone. The Balamb News replayed footage of his days as Commander, announcing his new position in the garden.

" _Leonhart even said in his resignation statement that he couldn't face the responsibilities – what makes this time any different?"_

" _I have to agree. He couldn't keep his commitment to his job or his own marriage with Rinoa Heartilly, so do we really want someone like this in charge of Garden's most prominent facility?"_

" _Who is REALLY in charge of this decision?"_

" _Quite honestly, I think he will do a fine job. Leonhart has dedicated his life to the SeeD Collective. Even at 17 years of age he managed to do the impossible–"_

" _I agree. He has had countless opportunities to move into Politics much like his father, President Loire, but he has turned down each chance he was given. His life is for SeeD."_

" _That's MY issue with this. His father is a member of the Unified Council. This is a CLEAR CASE of nepotism!"_

" _Has anyone reached out to Former-High Commander Kramer or his wife?_

" _What makes him more qualified that those who have been a part of SeeD since the beginning?"_

Nosy reporters and catty statements could only keep Squall's attention for so long before he muted the screen. His eyes darted to the door when he saw Alisa walk in the dormitory apartment and Squall's mood shifted completely.

"Daddy!"

Alisa's school bag and books dropped to the floor as she ran full speed into her father's arms. Squall held her tight as he lifted her up, giving her a kiss. "Did you have fun today?"

Their matching blue eyes met as she grabbed his face and smiled. "Mama and I went exploring. I showed her my classroom, then we went to the cafeteria with Uncle Zell and Auntie Selphie and then we went to the Quad so I could play with my friends and then we went to see Matron – did you know that she's lives in an Orphanage?"

"Well, it's not an orphanage anymore. It's her home, sweet girl." Squall explained, as he had a hundred times before.

"Well, anyway, I think it's silly. She should just live here with us so we can all be happy together. So then after that, Matron took me into the library _and_ I got Goodbye _Pupurun_ for us to read tonight!"

Squall rolled his eyes into the back of his head and pretended his legs weakened as he stumbled backwards into the couch. "Ugh, Goodbye _Pupurun?_ _Always with the Pupurun! Can we read something else?_ _Anything_ _else?_ _Please?_ _"_ _He poked at her neck and arms, Squall loved hearing his daughter laugh. She grabbed his hands, her face emotionless, serious. "I_ _love_ _Pupurun, daddy. You promised."_

 _Squall matched her seriousness and pressed her forehead to his until Alisa started to giggle again. He looked up as Rinoa sat the books on the kitchen counter and brushed her hair from her eyes, looking beautiful as ever, almost seeming to never age. It had been a few months since her last visit during which, Rinoa had brought up the possibility of trying to work on their relationship for the sake of Alisa. Again. Squall's emotions felt mixed about it. Something was almost always twisted into an argument. He would always have a part of him that loved Rinoa, but not love her the way she wanted._

 _"_ _Pupurun is very serious business in this home." Squall informed her in his 'serious' voice, trying to involve her in their conversation. Rinoa didn't speak. She smiled, taking her daughter's school bag into her room._

 _Alisa's attention was fixed onto the television. The soundless drones on the screen threw their hands around to get their points across. Across the Headline Bar read:_ _"_ _LEONHART: New High Commander of SDMC?"_

 _"_ _Is it true you're going to be the High Commander? Does that mean you're going to work all the time? Is that why Mama is taking me away?"_

 _"_ _It's true, I will be in charge and I'm definitely going to need your help when you get back here so I don't have to work so much." Squall kissed his daughter's forehead. He glanced at Rinoa. "And, no, Alisa. You're going with your mother because it's her turn to spend time with you. She's got_ _all_ _kinds of fun and super-amazing-wonderful-things for you to do with Angelo and her friends in Timber. You'll get to ride the trains, you will play with your friends there and spend time with your Grandfather."_

 _"_ _But the last time I was there we stayed at Grandpa –_ _Grandfather_ _Caraway's and it was so boring. I didn't get to do anything except homework. And he makes me call him Grandfather Caraway. Unlike_ _Grampa 'G_ _una, who lets me ride the elevators in the palace by myself. When can we go back to Esthar? I miss them."_

 _Alisa spoke her mind, often and loudly, one of the few things she didn't inherit from Squall. He quickly shushed her, making sure Rinoa didn't hear and leaned in close to whisper. "In a few months, you'll come back to this boring place and you'll be stuck with me. When you get back, we'll go to Esthar and you can ride all the elevators you want. Okay?" He kissed her head. "Think of it like a super big favor for me. Remember our super pinky swear?" He hoped that would do the trick. She sighed, locking her pinky into his._

 _"_ _Maybe we could just stay here? Mama, can we? Mama, please?" Alisa pulled at Rinoa's arm as she walked by._

 _This is going to be a long night._

 _Squall caught the passive aggressive glare of Rinoa's brown eyes. "Oookay, no time for baths tonight if we're going to read Pupurun. Go take a shower and when you get back, we'll spend some time reading. Sound like a fair deal?"_

 _"_ _Two_ _stories. If this is my last night here, I want two stories." Alisa hugged Squall's neck before climbing down from his lap. She went into her bedroom and grabbed her towel. Rinoa touched the top of Alisa's dark brown head as she passed by._

The moment that the door closed and the sound of the shower running could be heard, Rinoa sat down beside Squall. Squall knew that if he didn't break the silence, she wouldn't speak to him until tomorrow. He rubbed his eyes, feeling like it was the first time he could relax all day.

"She has spent the entire day telling me all about why she loves this place, and why she hates it in Timber."

"She's eight, Rinoa. She doesn't know any different. Last week she was telling me that she hated living here, next week she won't want to ever leave Timber."

Squall could feel her eyes on him. "Do you really mean that?"

 _No._

"Yes."

Rinoa smiled, leaning in and putting her head on his chest. Squall froze on contact, shortly relaxing and letting his body rest.

 _Okay, I guess we're fine tonight._

"I was so scared when Selphie told me about the assassin. Have you heard anything new?"

"The SeeD Operative they found in the stairwell has not yet been identified. They don't have a record on them so they may They moved the suspect into custody and then everything went silent. I don't know where they took her." Squall blinked slowly. His eyelids were dry and heavy. He needed to sleep.

"Can't you – I don't know, check your email and get the full report?"

"It doesn't work that way, Rinoa." The heel of his hand pressed into his temple. "I will contact Trabia tomorrow. Right now I just want to sleep."

Rinoa paused and sat up. "I just informed you that Selphie had a brush with death and you want to sleep?"

 _Here we go._

"I feel like... somebody has sucked out all of the energy out of me." Squall sat upright and stretched, his arm landing behind Rinoa's back. He rubbed her back softly, testing his waters with her. "Matron didn't tell Alisa about the illness did she?"

"Of course not. I don't want her knowing just yet." Rinoa pulled at the hem of her blue colorblock dress. "So it's true that you took the High Commander position?"

Squall sighed, standing to untuck his button down shirt. "Yeah. I didn't have much choice."

"I wish you would have given us a choice. Do you think that maybe you should have talked about it with me before Alisa found out?"

Squall let out a dry chuckle. "We aren't married anymore, Rinoa. We have a child together, but I don't think this is your concern."

"I think it's important enough to mention it to me. What's Alisa going to say when you can't make it home to read her bedtime stories?" She leaned forward. "I'm not telling you this to be difficult but Squall, she doesn't exactly handle it well when you have to take students out to field exams for days at a time. What's going to happen when _Daddy_ can't come home for months because he's currently on a tour of the Gardens for some Administration seminar? Remember that you are not only running Garden, you're in charge of ALL of them."

Squall knew all of this already. He didn't need the play-by-play. "I'll miss a few nights. Most nights I'm usually the one who gets home first. She's a smart, resourceful girl. You can give her _some_ credit. I'm not going to fight about this. The decision was made now just drop it."

Rinoa stood, her hands going onto her hips. "What kind of father are you going to be to our daughter when you're not there for her? Is your brain so screwed up from the use of GF's that you can't remember what it was like growing up alone here?"

"Rinoa –"

"Do you think she's going to be okay with her father missing from her life? Only getting to see her for an hour a day, _if that._ Maybe instead of telling her that everything is going to be fun and playful we should be more realistic about the reality of it. Maybe instead of her growing up _here_ , she should be with me."

"No!" The tone of Squall's voice grew low, threatening. "You do not have that decision."

"She is my daughter, I absolutely have that decision."

 _Mine. Alisa is mine, Rinoa. You aren't there for her. You didn't bond with your own child the way I did. She is mine._

Squall's jaw clenched, feeling heat on his ears again. "How stupid do you think I am? Really? I can see that this has been the _perfect_ set up for you to be able to bring this up. You've been waiting for this opportunity to come to you. Matron is _dying,_ Rinoa. What was I supposed to do when Cid asked me to step up? He needs to be there for his wife –"

"Oh so you can be there for _their_ marriage but not ours?"

Squall's jaw tightened, "Don't bring this up now. That isn't fair –"

Rinoa shook her head, stepping closer to Squall. "Fair for whom? For me or for you? You were the one who cheated first, remember? This is all coming back around. You're back in charge and Quistis is there to see to your _every_ need."

Squall pressed his back to the space between the bedrooms and glanced up to the clock. Alisa should be getting out soon. He prayed she wasn't aware of the fight her parents were having just outside the door. His hands shook as he rubbed his face. The last thing he needed was this conversation.

 _Not today, not now._

"Squall..." Rinoa stepped closer, her voice calm. "She told me about the nightmare."

Squall's mind wandered to his bedroom, seeing himself in his bed, violently thrashing.

 _The nightmares._

He was asleep, screaming at an enemy that wasn't there. Alisa cautiously walked in to shake her father, trying to force him awake. In an instant, Squall was on the ground with her, this hands on her throat, crushing her with the weight of his sleeping body. Alisa was screaming and clawing at her father's arms. Squall didn't remember any of that. He remembered waking to her gasping for air, tears running down her eyes.

 _It was an accident._

Squall's brow furrowed, still staring into his bedroom, seeing his daughter scramble away from her father and hide under the desk, curled up in a ball, wailing.

 _I would never hurt her._

It had taken a moment for Squall to wake from the dream, but when he had, and when pieced together what he had done remorse flooded his mind and he crawled toward Alisa. "I'm so sorry, baby. Please come here. I didn't mean it... I love you..." Squall let his emotions flow out, blinking away tears as he pleaded with his daughter.

Alisa sprung from beneath the desk and into her father's arms, she cried into his chest, tears soaking into his shirt. His chest pounded as he carefully pulled down the collar of her nightgown. The marks on her neck were superficial, no bruising. Squall's hands moved to her eyes, inspecting them carefully. "You were scared. I was trying to save you! You were scared and wanted to help!"

Squall held his daughter tight to his chest, looking around the room frantically. He pieced together all that he could. Trying to find something to comfort her. "Daddy was scared. He was just fighting a big scary monster in his dream, okay? Everything is fine. I'm okay, we're okay – we're fine, Alisa. I promise. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry..." He whispered, absolutely no memory appeared in his mind of what he had been fighting but he already knew. He always knew.

She was always in his Nightmares. The Sorceress Ultimecia.

 _That isn't fair._

Squall blinked, turning back to Rinoa. "I made a single mistake. I've kept her safe since then." No one else knew about the incident, he never reported it. Squall could try to justify it all that he wanted, but his secret was now exposed to Rinoa. "Please don't do this."

"I can't trust you anymore, Squall. I know you love our daughter. I know you want what is best for her but she isn't safe with you." Rinoa's voice was genuinely sad as she spoke. Squall had to believe that she didn't do this just to hurt him. "I am taking her so you can get yourself under control, and I don't think that this new position as High Commander is going to help –"

"Rinoa, she's my daughter. You can't just come in and take her from me!"

"Whose daughter is she?" Rinoa huffed. "She's _ours._ Squall. Ours. I carried her, I delivered her, and you took her. She is ours, but it's my turn to have her. She is going to live with me from here on until –"

"Until when?" Squall couldn't believe this was happening. He felt powerless, the knowledge of this could mean a dishonorable discharge from the Garden. He would be disgraced. His name slandered for hurting his own daughter. Nobody would listen to the truth. This was the safest place in the world to raise a child, and Rinoa could destroy it all in an instant if she wanted. "Until _when_ , Rinoa?"

They stood in silence, the only break in the silence being Alisa as she walked out of the bathroom. She was dressed in her pajamas, a towel on top of her head. Squall felt her arms wrap around his waist. "I'm all done! Story time?"

 _I'll prove to you that I am a good father. I'll prove to you that she is safer with me._

Squall ushered her forward as they walked into her room. He kept his head low as they passed Rinoa. She wasn't the enemy, but she didn't understand that he had already taken care of the situation. There was no need to take her away longer than needed. He let Alisa go inside first and leaned close to Rinoa. "I'm going to read our daughter a story and then we'll continue this conversation later." Rinoa's nod permitted him entrance. She sat on the couch, reaching across onto the counter for a book.

Squall closed the door halfway and kicked off his oxfords to crawl into the twin-sized bed with his daughter. He loosened the thin black tie and pulled it off, tossing it near his shoes. Squall reached behind his back to find a plush stuffed moomba. "That's from Auntie. She brought it back from the Shumi Tribe!"

 _Selphie, how could I not have guessed?_

Squall propped the moomba behind his head and pressed his back against the wall as she climbed in with him. "Are you really sleeping in here with me, daddy?" She used his arm as her pillow, her hand grasping onto his shirt holding it close.

"You know that I can't." Squall reached for the book and opened the first page.

"I'm sorry that I told. Are you mad at me?"

Squall looked down at her innocent blue eyes. He knew she only did it with the best of intentions. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe he was too dangerous for her. Squall resolved to speak with the doctor in the morning about therapy. He planted a kiss on her forehead and snuggled in, holding the book overhead.

 _Oh Grats, oh boy that sure was fun,_

 _but now I'm afraid my time is done._

 _So don't be scared,_

 _the fun's just begun._

 _But for now, we say_

" _Goodbye, Pupurun!"_

Squall read softly, letting Alisa turn the pages and quickly returning to clutching onto his shirt. He read slow, not wanting to leave her just yet. Rinoa could wait. Garden could wait. The whole world could wait while he spent his last night with Alisa.

The words on the page danced as he barely kept his eyes open. He sat the book down for a moment, rubbing his eyes and looking down at his sleeping daughter. Squall kissed her on her forehead and pulled the cover over her shoulder, gently stroking her brown hair. She let out a little hum, her hand clutching his shirt tight. Squall pulled her closer, taking her other hand in his as he stared at her for what seemed like hours.

He knew the best way to keep her safe. He knew that Rinoa was right even if he couldn't admit it, but he couldn't imagine life without Alisa by his side.

 _I have never loved anyone as much as I love you._

He gave in. His eyelids were too heavy to remain open. Squall tilted his head forward, keeping her close as he lost his battle to stay awake. The last sensation he felt before he slipped into darkness was the feeling of a warm blanket being pulled up to his shoulders and the light being switched off.


	4. I am an Assassin

**Adult Content Warning**

* * *

They came for her as she slept.

What little sleep Nino could get in the corner of the filthy cell was minimal but all the more cherished. She needed it to maintain her strength, to hold out as long as she could.

Her captors gave her no food or water. What little water she scavenged came from the trickle of rain water that fell down through the cracks in the ceiling was likely the cause of the fever had developed. It wasn't much longer after that when Nino had realized that she would either be killed or die in the cells. Her body shivered, her skin was bare against the concrete floor as she lay there, waiting for death.

There was no telling where she was. Shortly after the black hood had been placed on her head, she was knocked unconscious. When she had awoke, the SeeD Operatives brought her into the cell where she then remained. The Operatives wasted no time in beginning their interrogations, Garden needed answers and they were prepared to get them out of her. They stripped her down to the undergarments she had worn and promptly took turns beating her, asking her the same questions:

What is your name?

Who do you work for?

What do you know?

The Assassin would feel her body lifted and slammed into the hard concrete walls before they asked her one of the three questions before repeating the process. Each answer delivered the same response: Silence.

She knew their job was to get her to speak but their methods wouldn't work. Not with her. Nino knew the consequences of speaking if Syndicate had ever become aware if she uttered anything about who they were. Putting the compound at risk meant a fate worse than death, worse than the beatings she was enduring over and over and over again.

 _Hold on. Just a little longer..._

She knew she had failed. Too many people. Too many witnesses. Too many eyes. Nino had spent countless days trying to understand where she went wrong and how she had been caught. But even after figuring it all out, Nino knew deep in her heart that she never truly felt regret for her actions, Selphie Tilmitt was _not_ a target.

When beating her didn't work, the Operatives began the next step of their torture, Sleep Deprivation. They forced her into stress positions for what felt like hours. Her body ached, she cried as they restrained her hands over her head, forcing her to her knees, always reclined at an angle. When she wasn't shackled and bound, they let her have some inch of comfort by sleeping on the floor. The Operatives weren't entirely without their humanity, it seemed.

Still, even though she had been trained to respond, Nino didn't fight back but she most importantly remained silent. Her body lay flat on her back where they left her. She couldn't move, she didn't have the strength to even try.

It was likely the third or fourth night when she heard a sigh coming from a body laying beside her. The warm air from the exhale hit her face. It was a curious thing, especially when the cell had previously been occupied by no one else but her. Nino opened her weary eyes, greeting a pair of hauntingly blue-green. She knew these eyes. She knew them very well.

"Just a little longer, Ninnoka."

"No... it can't be... you're not here." She exhaled, her breath let out in a wheeze as the tears rolled down her cheeks. This was the deprivation. These were the hallucinations. She watched as the apparition smiled. It felt like a lie. It was all a lie. He wasn't there. He was dead.

"Touch my face. Feel that I am here."

Her eyes closed as she turned away. The stinging in the eyes returned when she felt the apparition's hand lift her own and bring it to his lips, kissing her fingers gently. She felt his hot breath on her palm, his warm hand bringing her fingers to his jaw, cheek, temple, brow.

 _You don't exist anymore._

He looked just as he did the last time they were together, face to face. He was so handsome, so perfect. His signature half-cocked smirk grew wider when he realized she knew.

"Seifer." Nino breathed out. The vision of him gave her the strength to smile, even in such a horrible place he managed to give her comfort.

"This will be over soon, I promise." He smiled, his voice calm and reassuring.

"Please..." She swallowed, her body feeling weaker. There was a pressure on her chest that wouldn't let up. "Seifer..."

 _He's not here. You know this. Stop giving in. He is dead._

Seifer moved her hand from his face down to her side, his long fingers intertwined with hers. "It will be over soon," he sounded confident, as he always did.

 _You caused this. This is your fault. You left us. You're not here. If you hadn't have left I wouldn't have... I wouldn't have..._

She couldn't breathe, her body began to convulse. What was happening? Nino's frightened eyes looked over to Seifer but staring back at her was darkness.

It wasn't long before Nino felt her nose and throat filling with stagnant water, she tried to exhale, her body instinctively fighting to draw more air in. She inhaled and drew in nothingness, the pressure on her face was tight, closing in all around her. Panicked and confused, Nino felt her body being lifted upright, seeming to be strapped something hard, a wooden slat of some kind. Her eyes opened as she looked around, the black hood had been pulled off of her face.

"What is your name?"

 _Nino. My name is Nino._

She felt her lungs empty as they purged the water. Once the airway was cleared she drew in a hitching gasp, her body convulsing from the shock. Air finally entered her lungs and she looked at the interrogator, her lips opened to answer with–

Silence.

She felt the hood being placed over her head again, fighting it as best she could, her body was tied down tight to the bench. She felt her body fall backwards, feeling almost as if she were upside down. The heavy cloth was placed back onto her hooded face. She protested, her greatest fear had always been of drowning and it seemed as if they knew that.

"Again." She heard a voice command. Nino drew in a breath, holding her lungs steady.

"That won't help you here." She heard another voice, sounding eerily close to Seifer.

She felt the water pour into her nose and her first instinct was to breathe. Nino thrashed her head, the water seeming to find her, filling her sinuses and throat. Her body forced her to try to expel the water, causing her to draw in less air with each try. She could feel the liquid beginning to fill her respiratory tract and she reacted, violently thrashing against the hold they held on her.

Her body was pulled back up. Cloth and hood ripped off. She sucked in another breath.

"Who do you work for?"

The lights standing behind the SeeD Operatives blinded her. She couldn't see their faces. Shuddering, she looked directly at the man in front of her. She wanted to scream, thrash, kill.

Silence.

She watched as the SeeD Interrogator sighed, "Again."

There was a point that was hardwired in her mind where when water is drawn into the lungs, that was when control is lost. Nino's instincts began to tell her she was dying. Four rounds of the same, all four rewarded with the same: Silence.

The water was freezing. She could no longer feel her body as the water washed down her bare skin. Her chest pounded, her heart beating a thousand miles a minute. Each time she felt her body being lifted back down the more and more impossible it had become to rationalize anything. The water went in and it felt as if she were drowning, trapped deep underwater. Her greatest fears, she couldn't swim – she hated to swim. She was going to die. Her brain screamed at her to breathe, and each time she did she felt the intense pressure filling her lungs.

 _You're going to drown. You're going to die and drown. Remember your training. What do you do?_

Nino could feel the restraints binding her wrists and tying down her stomach. She began to twist and wriggle.

 _You will die if you do not hurry._

She used the force to lunge forward when they lifted her upright. She felt the restraints were starting to give, becoming loose. One more round should do it. She looked to the Operatives, seeing a pistol at the hip of one. That would do as well.

 _Focus, Nino..._

She felt her head begin to feel light. Dipping in and out of consciousness she saw the apparition appear in her mind. She used the strength of his memory to keep going. Her body was raised again, the hood ripped off and this time she propelled her body forward, snapping the straps and in a flash she grabbed the collar of the Interrogator. The gun was already in her hand.

 _Target._

She put the barrel to his chin, fired. They dropped the board and she fell backwards. Her arm went up, a bullet between the eyes. One left. Her hands unfastened the ties holding her legs together. The last SeeD operative lunged at her, fighting to get the gun.

Nino lifted the gun to his head and pulled the trigger – no bullets. She scanned the sparse room, finding Seifer's apparition as he stood by the table like a beacon of hope. She watched as his hands leaned on the table, eyes to...her confiscated blades.

 _Thank you..._

Scrambling to her feet, she ran to the steel table, blade in hand. Her feral eyes sought out her target. She struggled to catch her breath. Her lungs throbbed, her body shook uncontrollably but she needed to fight.

 _Target._

The target fumbled with the keys to the steel door. Calm, collected, Nino approached him from behind, she watched as he pulled out a blade identical to hers.

 _My name is Nino Mireille._

She jumped backwards as the target slashed with all his strength in a flurry of attacks. Her fingers wrapped around the section of the blade's handle, securing her grip as she evaded the target.

 _I am an agent of Galbadia's Syndicate ran by my father, Endrik Mireille._

"Wait... stop! I'm not–"

 _I am an assassin._

"Ni–"

She reeled back, hitting the target's temple with every last ounce of force she could muster. She twisted, pulling out the blade as his lifeless body fell to the floor.

Her world was spinning as her own body collapsed to the floor, the gravity of the situation hit her hard. Nino's trembling hands went to her head as she screamed, tears running down her wet cheeks. Her trained eyes darted around the room, scanning.

 _Get up. Get out. Get up. Get out. Get out and kill. Escape. Escape without detection. You must report to your superior._

Nino scrambled to find the keys near the corpse. The blood made it difficult to find the right key but she found it. Turning the lock and running out.

 _This way..._

Nino didn't care that she was nearly naked, she was going to fight her way out. She scanned the surroundings. Why did it look familiar?

Her eyes widened as she watched Seifer's calm apparition turn a corner. She ran, chasing after it. It was so cold. Nino peered around the corner, ready to slash anything that moved. Her pulse was racing, her chest throbbing. A few metal stairs leading up to the edit and she would be free. She was inside a bunker, one she had never seen but instead just knew. Nino fought to ignore the questions that arose. How did she know she was underground? Why did this seem so familiar?

She pushed her body weight into the door, falling face down into the rocks outside, becoming instantly blinded by the light. Nino heard the sound of birds, it was the first thing she had heard before the footsteps. It was daytime and it was the first time she had felt real warmth in what seemed like forever.

 _Where is he?_

Her heart raced as she looked up, watching as her Superior Officer Torrin Victarion approached her, slowly applauding. She had never seen him so happy.

 _I... don't understand..._

The last of her strength was used to stand. Staggering, she looked at her surroundings. The compound. She was home, in the compound. Standing in front of her was her leader, Torrin. Agents stepped outside to witness, gathering in a crowd all around her. She couldn't understand. Nino's breath quickened as Torrin approached her, she watched as lieutenants and soldiers stopped and took witness. Her father was one of the few Nino was able to see through the haze. She let out a sob, covering her mouth with a bloodied wrist. Knife still in hand.

"Release it, Nino." Torrin commanded, his tone low.

Nino stifled a sob, she wanted more than anything to get away from the attention, from Torrin's delighted state of captivation with her. She collapsed again, her hand instinctively dropping the knife within Torrin's grasp. Her father let them do this to her. Her father allowed them to hurt her.

Nino was compelled to reach for the blade. She wanted to use the skills she had been taught to tear them all apart.

 _Superior officer. He is your commandant. He is your superior. He is above you. Focus, Nino._

Torrin stepped over the blade to lift her up. "I am so, so proud of you..." He removed his black coat, wrapping it around her body, keeping her close. "You did _so_ well!"

 _Don't touch me._

"Wh...why?" Nino wailed, her hands moving to her face as she felt Torrin close in on her. He lifted her up, taking special care not to hurt her. Her body went slack, feeling like a bag of water. She watched his lips move but couldn't hear him over the sound of her panicked breaths, she watched his blue-green eyes flicker with almost a joyful satisfaction. He mouthed the words " _I am so proud"_ over and over. Tears welled in Nino's eyes as she shook. She heard a command and she felt weightless, nothingness. Darkness. Sleep.

–

When she came to the first order they gave to her was to clean herself up. Nino did as commanded, her body was washed clean, dripping wet as she stood in the bathroom, examining the bruises in the mirror. She was so tired, so exhausted but she couldn't find the strength to sleep.

 _A 'training exercise.' He said that it was a training exercise. My final test... I am an Assassin. Was this always my life? Why is it I don't remember anything else?_

Nino's chest and throat felt sore while the rest of her felt battered, bruised. She looked in the mirror to find Torrin.

Torrin's face seemed to have held a permanent smirk, as though he had a secret no one else knew about – a secret she knew. His cheekbones were high placed and defined, his face clean shaven, well maintained. Torrin was a very handsome man, hauntingly familiar but Nino knew the reason why, she just couldn't admit it to herself. It was difficult keeping his gaze but by watching him, Nino found his eyes had been exploring her naked form for the first time. She had been trained to not feel shame but she reached for the towel all the same, concealing her body.

Torrin smiled, gesturing for her to remove it. When she refused, his expression vanished, his smile quickly formed into a frown, "Drop it." He spoke old Esthari, his voice clear. _"Ego imperium vis."_

Her hands dropped to her side, the towel dropping to the floor. Her fingers continued to reach for it but her body couldn't move. Her mind was completely blank, unable to think when he was near, even moreso when she heard the commands of the Superior.

"Oh, my sweetling," He his voice softened when he lifted the towel, gently patting her dry. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm angry." Nino's tone was dull, dead. "Whatever reason you did this is beyond me."

"If you'll forgive me," Torrin smiled, brushing her hair away from her face as he cocked his head to the side. His fingers grazed over the bruises on her arms and chest. "Your poor body... I'm sorry we did this to you."

 _Are you?_

Nino's response was silence. Torrin took her lack of response as a chance to elaborate.

"Well, it was more of a 'trust exercise' than anything. You have finally finished your training and you're now an Assassin." He put his hands on her waist, pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her chest, looking to her through the mirror. "I need to be sure you are trusting with our little secrets. I can trust you, can't I, sweetling?"

"...Of course."

"Yes, I know that I can it's... well, you know that I do not just trust so easily. Forgive me, sweetling."

 _I hate when you call me that... I am not your 'sweetling'..._

Torrin smooched her cheek, turning her around. "Come... my father is going to be here soon. He will want to meet our newest assassin. Of course, the only thing that would have worked out better would have been for you to actually _kill_ Tilmitt but... well," He reached for the towel, patting her skin dry, his tone arrogant but true. "Truthfully, the chances of _me_ getting to Tilmitt before she left? They were pretty good. But for you? No. You're still too new. Still, it is a valuable lesson that you learned..."

Nino was confused, "A _lesson_?"

"Yes, a lesson in humility. If you do not take _everything_ into account and reduce the variables you will fail. And if you fail, you die... and we can't have that now, can we?"

"...I understand. Thank you for teaching me." There was more rage than Nino knew what to do with building up inside of her. She felt suffocated but couldn't react. She was trained not to react.

"We are heading into war, Nino." Torrin's tone grew serious. He walked to the closet, choosing for her to wear a knee-length peplum dress, the navy blue a deep dull color.

Nino began to dress, slipping on her underclothes and then feeling Torrin's hands as he slipped the dress over her body as he continued to speak, "We have been hired by some of the most powerful men and women to plan and execute and bring upon a revolution that has been planned and decided for several years. Long before you or I were even born. This is my favorite color on you..."

She could feel his hands pulling her damp hair back, twisting it into a low bun.

"This is your life. It is your future. It is your future with me, with Syndicate, with the new world we will create... together." Torrin smiled. His white teeth glinted in the light. "It's going to be beautiful, and you will be a part of it." Torrin's thumb traced across the split in her lip.

 _I'm not supposed to be here... we escaped together once... they came for me... and then he was killed._

"I can't wait to tell you all about it. Soon there will be a power awakened in _all_ of us that will forever change this world. We will be gods among men. Wolves among sheep. Let me help. Let me help you, and I promise to never hurt you like that again."

 _Make... it... stop..._

Torrin smiled, reaching into his pocket. The small blue vial he returned with contained an Elixir.

"Do you remember the night your father promised you to me?" Nino didn't flinch. Of course she remembered, she just hated the way he had put it into words.

"Yes." She fought back every ounce of rage but she had to respond.

"We have had our differences, and I understand that you still harbor feelings for... _past mistakes_." His voice trailed as he shook his head. "But you will be a useful tool for my reign but I want more than that for you. I think this vial could symbolize the start of our bond and... I think you're ready to move away from those little discrepancies from your former life."

 _Discrepancies... I was escaping from this life, the one I have now. This wasn't the life we wanted..._

Torrin cupped her cheek, his other hand pressing the blue elixir vial to her lips. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Torrin." The words she wanted to say caught in her throat, instead came out the trained response.

"I have waited five years for you... everything is falling into place. Soon you will see, the whole world will see." Torrin's face hardened, his grip on her jaw tightened. "What is your name?" Torrin whispered, staring deep into her eyes.

"Nino Mireille."

Torrin gave a wide smile, tipping back the vial. A few drops of elixir trickled into her mouth. "Who do you work for?"

"I am an Assassin for the Syndicate. I am your subordinate." Another trickle. Her body was already feeling the healing components. Her bruises were fading, lungs getting stronger.

"And what do you know?"

"I will be useful as your instrument, your support in the coming war."

"Ah, good girl..." He chuckled, his voice deep and fluid. Torrin's hand tipped the vial completely back, watching as Nino's eyes closed, drinking the mixture. Once emptied, he slipped the bottle into his pocket and pressed his lips to her forehead. He treated her like a doll, a toy, a tool. "You _are_ mine, Nino. Say it..."

"I am yours."

He brought her a pair of black stiletto heels and led her downstairs by the hand. Nino's bruises were just barely visible by the time they reached her father's office.

"Father." Nino lowered her head in respect as he stood, approaching her.

The only resemblance Nino held to her father were his green eyes, which he kept hidden behind a pair of dark tinted round glasses. He was a stocky build, with platinum blonde hair that greyed at the sides. She couldn't remember a time when he didn't wear black. His permanent scowl surprised her by giving her the hint of a smile upon her entry.

Torrin stood beside her, giving their salute. He dropped to a knee, lowering his head as he pressed his closed fist to his heart. "My life for Syndicate." She watched as Endrik responded, putting his hands to Torrin's shoulders and then to Nino's.

"You have made the Syndicate proud, daughter." He pressed a cold hand to her cheek. Nino smiled, more of the same trained responses she had no control of. She had questions but she couldn't bring herself to ask. She demanded something to be offered up in explanation but instead nodded, maintaining her vacant smile.

"If your mother were to be alive today... she would be proud." Endrik turned on his heel, walking to his desk to get his drink. He reached into his pocket to reveal a pocket watch, checking the time. Nino knew the watch didn't work, but he checked it all the same. The family heirloom, passed down to sons for generations.

 _My uncle told me you killed her... but rumors say that she died during childbirth as we were fleeing Esthar. Which is it, Father?_

Torrin stood at attention. Her father's best lieutenant. The strongest, the bravest, the one he favored. The son he wanted but never had.

"You may have failed, but you've earned your trust back from your original transgressions against us. You are to be rewarded and will be moved from the training quarters. Torrin expressed that you wished to stay with him."

Nino looked over to Torrin, as he smiled with eyes forward.

 _I don't... I don't remember that..._

"You are promised as his Support, but perhaps we can someday consider Torrin for courting you. He is a good man, strong and will protect you."

"Not that she needs my protection, sir. She is very capable." Torrin remarked, smiling.

"So I heard, as we all witnessed." Endrik poured a glass of a rosy red liquor. It's smell was cloyingly sweet. She watched him bring it to Torrin. "Don't worry of the agents and the lives you took today. They were expendable."

"I felt nothing for their deaths, Father." Nino watched as Torrin drank the liquid, letting out a sigh. It was the first truth she had spoken that day.

"Their families will be well... compensated." Torrin examined the glass, looking at his reflection.

The sound of footsteps could be heard from behind, growing louder until they were in the room. Nino watched as her father's entire disposition shifted to that of a man humbled and he immediately took a knee, Torrin immediately after.

"Ah, Artos."

"Bow, Nino." Torrin commanded.

Nino turned and looked to the floor. Her knee touched the cold marble as her fist went over her heart. She watched the feet of a man who stood tall. He wore freshly polished boots, steel plated, blood red. The pants were of a herringbone pattern, deep grey in color.

The jacket was tailored to a perfect fit on the man's muscular body structure. The 5 buttons of his single breasted jacket were old, likely passed down as an heirloom. The fronts of the buttons seemed to have had a family crest. She could make out a pair of wings, a red cross in the center.

The man was sophisticated, almost regal. He stood in a stance that commanded authority. His eyes closely matched Torrin's, his blonde hair had streaks of grey, pushed back. His jaw was angular. There was something bewildering about him to Nino. Something once again hauntingly long-familiar.

Torrin stood, hand still to his chest. "Father."

Artos smiled to his son. It was not a warm smile. A hand was firmly planted on Torrin's shoulder. They both looked to Nino as Endrik permitted her to stand.

"May I present to you, my daughter – Ninnoka Mireille."

Nino watched as her hand was guided to his. Artos took it, caressing the knuckles as he placed a soft kiss on her hand. The gesture had startled her. "Fresh out of training?" The man looked to Endrik and back to Nino, his accent told her he was from Centra. He watched as Nino gave a single nod.

"I personally saw her class through completion, Father. Nino struggled in the beginning but after a while, it was truly _remarkable_ to watch her."

"Perhaps some day I will." Artos smiled, gesturing for Nino to sit beside him. He was poured a drink by her father, which Artos took and passed directly into the new Assassin's hands. "Do you know why you are here, my dear?"

Nino stared at the rosy liquid. "Torrin tells me that there will be war soon." She took a sip, the taste was sweet, burning in her throat as she swallowed. Almonds. Sweet almonds.

"How do you feel about that?" Artos turned his head to Nino, watching with calculating eyes as she sipped again.

 _Nothingness. Emptiness. Duty. It must be done if it is the will of the Syndicate._

"I'm... afraid I do not know enough to make my own opinion of it, sir."

Torrin brought his chair beside hers. "My father is here to personally oversee our mission, Nino. He has been working close with Galbadia to overthrow the Unified Council."

"The Unified Council? They helped bring the countries together after Ultimecia..."

 _Good people. Humans. Real emotions._

"They are destroying the balance that was set long ago, Ninnoka" Endrik responded quickly, his scolding tone told her to be silent.

"I am a man who isn't too happy with the unification. They interrupt the plans that Syndicate has set in place for a _very_ long time. Do you understand, Ninnoka?"

 _Nin-oak-kah. Seifer had said it the same way as well..._

"We are working on something that will forever change our world. Syndicate is making a move to overthrow the powers that be."

"The time is finally here and for that, I need my soldiers to be more than simply loyal. They must be willing to give their lives and die for the cause. You were brought to the verge of death and back and you did not once falter. You were tried and tested, but you _never_ revealed who you were, who we worked for or what you knew." Endrik's words brought her back to the interrogation room, drowning, suffocating. Her eyes were dead as she looked up to him.

"Your new life will be beginning soon. Father has brought gifts for us from Centra." Torrin put a hand to her face, brushing his thumb under her cheek. "But before we receive our gifts, we must eradicate the only threat to us at this time."

"Very well. What is my next mission?"

"Eager, are we?" Artos took a drink, standing. "Endrik and I will be discussing this. I have heard rumors that SeeD is dispatching Operatives soon, you will be accompanying Torrin on this mission. That is all I will say for now. Dismissed."

Nino felt Torrin's hands on hers as he led her out of the room, turning to close the doors. He led her back upstairs, to his quarters.

 _The Unified Council helped bring the countries together. They brought peace between Esthar and Galbadia. Why would they want to destroy that? Who is my target?_

She jumped when she realized that she had been taken back to Torrin's room. The door was closed and Nino could feel his hand resting on her shoulder as he unzipped her dress. Nino felt exhausted, all she wanted was sleep. She hadn't slept in days.

"Our father's are very pleased, sweetling..." Torrin kissed her shoulder, pulling the blue fabric down her arm. "Are you?"

 _No._

"Yes." She swallowed, feeling the dress fall to the floor.

"Can you feel this?" Torrin's fingers brushed down her back. "Sometimes the training can harden a person... make them numb."

 _I feel nothing._

"Yes."

"And this?" His hands trailed lower, moving around her waist and brushing across her stomach.

 _I feel empty._

"Yes."

"Turn around."

Nino felt goosebumps brush down her entire body. She turned, but her expression moved to that of surprise when she did not find Torrin was standing behind her. It was _him._ Without a second thought, Nino's hands went to the broad, toned shoulders. She brought him into a long embrace, afraid to let go but she felt his body moving her to the bed. He gently pushed her back, her body falling onto the mattress and Nino looked up, a shy smile appearing on her lips.

 _It's you..._

He climbed on top of her, a hand artfully gliding across her naked body. His blue-green eyes had been explored her curves until they stopped on her eyes. It was a look that sent shivers down her body.

"What are you so nervous about?" He teased, "Kiss me."

Nino took a deep breath, their eyes holding one another. "Is this real?" They were his eyes, his blonde hair, his voice, his touch, his crooked scar. "Is this you?"

 _You know this isn't him..._

His lustful eyes stared at her naked form, a smirk playing on his lips. "It's me... it's all of me, my sweet." He pulled off the black shirt he wore, revealing a bare torso, sculpted and firm. _His_ torso.

Nino sat upright to throw her arms around his neck, catching his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. She felt the vibrations of his chuckle as her mouth sucked on his bottom lip. Nino's hands began to unfasten his pants but he pushed her hands away, removing them himself. "Ooh, so eager, aren't we?" His teeth were perfect when he smiled, leaning in to kiss her again. "Where has _this_ Nino been? I rather enjoy her..."

 _This is not him. Remember what happened..._

He let out a quiet groan into her ear, murmuring, "And what do you feel now?"

 _Everything._

A sharp moan escaped her lips, her breath quickened as she felt hands on her thighs, holding her open as he moved inside her. He leaned in kissing her deeply. Teeth sunk into her bottom lip. "Nino…" He whispered her name, running a thumb across her breasts as he kissed her deeply, his mouth never leaving hers.

 _I need him to be real._

Nino didn't need to know if it was real or not. She ran her fingers through his blonde hair, she could taste the sweet tinge of sweat as she planted a soft kiss across his faded scar. Rocked her hips faster, another moan let out as he gripped and pushed into her again, harder, shallower, deeper. She kept her eyes on his, not wanting him to ever disappear, not wanting to let go of the memories she once had.

"You are mine..." His voice spoke to her as a hand moved to her neck, pressing her into the mattress. His pace quickened, slamming his member deeper into her. Nino felt the pressure deep inside of her, overwhelming her with the moans that left her freely.

"Yes... oh, Seifer–" Nino's mouth clamped shut when she heard his name leave her lips, teeth cutting into skin as she completely froze. She could feel the tension in the hand around her neck. The apparition was gone. She stammered, failing to find the words to fix what was already said. What was she doing? Everything about this felt wrong to her. She looked at her lover – the reason why everything felt wrong was because everything about Torrin was wrong.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to let that slip..." Torrin smiled at her, kissing her soft, trembling lips. His tone almost seemed amused, unfazed. He pulled himself out, his other hand tightened around her throat, pressing her into the mattress. His threatening eyes held her attention.

"I'm... I'm sorry... F-forgive me! I don't know why I–"

"Oh, and you would be sorry... so, very sorry..." Torrin's mood was almost completely relaxed, as if he had expected it to happen. "But deep down you're enjoying this." He slowly pushed himself back inside of her, hand still on her throat. "Admit it, sweetling. You can think of him as much as you'd like, but he's not here, is he? My brother is _dead_ , isn't he?"

"...Yes."

"Who killed him, Nino?" Torrin released the pressure on her throat and slowly, gently continued to thrust into her. She looked up at him, wishing she would have been elsewhere, anywhere else.

"You did." She choked out, her eyes wanted to close tight but they remained locked onto her Superior.

"You will never see him again, Nino."

 _Don't say that._

"Tell me..." He moaned, breathing hotly.

"I will never see him again. I am yours Torrin." The words came out willing but not. Nino knew she had to say them, she had to.

"I want you to love me as much as I love you, Nino." Torrin smiled, continuing to thrust, his movements were slow and deep, making sure that Nino could feel every inch of him moving in and out. She felt him suddenly slam deep into her, forcing out a noise from her throat once more. Her eyes closed, trying to bring back the apparition. She felt another hard thrust and she moaned louder.

"Say it again." Torrin commanded, gripping onto her hips he pumped her harder. Nino's body tensed, biting down on her lip as he held her close.

Tiny flits of visions peeked into her mind. His blonde hair. His teeth on her skin. His fingers, his taste. A moan slipped away from her as Nino kept her eyes closed, imagining she was elsewhere, anywhere but with him.

"Say it." Torrin whispered, his body shuddering against hers.

His mouth, his kiss, his hips, his moan. Anything she could still remember, everything she had left of his memory. She buried her head into the pillow, her eyes shut tight. Nino was losing her mind, her nails tore at his back as her body stiffened.

"Say it..."

Nino opened her eyes when his voice came to her mind, the apparition – it had returned for a brief moment, flitting in before turning back to Torrin. Nino could feel him inside of her when he came, her hands moved to his hips, the sensations almost enough to render her unconscious as he continued to thrust.

"Nino..." Torrin panted, pulling away and sitting on the edge of the bed. "This was... disappointing, to say in the least..." He sighed, "But you know this. I have given everything to wait for you. Is five years not enough time to move on?"

"I suppose not." Nino sat up, reaching for the sheets to cover herself. "Forgive me, Superior."

" _Torrin_. You are allowed to call me by my first name." Torrin turned back to her, his mood changed. He smiled, kissing her on the nose. "I suppose I was the eager one. It was not the right time for us. I'll be willing to wait until you're ready... besides, we've got work to do, don't we?"

Nino kept her eyes closed as she nodded. She felt him kiss her again before heading into the bathroom to shower. She took in a shaky breath and let it out, her body still trembling. Nino rolled over to her side, crossing her arms across her chest. She felt like a stranger in her own home. She didn't recognize anything anymore. Nothing made sense to her. She felt as if she were slowly slipping into madness, the memories of Seifer slowly fading away into nothingness.

Nothingness. It was all Nino knew anymore.


	5. Escape Artist

She held Alisa's hand firm, escorting her back to her mother. The search party was finally called off and everyone could quickly return to their duties. It took some coercion and Zell's wit and charm but she managed to convince her boss' daughter to crawl out from a ventilation duct in the Library.

Correction, she had Zell skillfully climb up into the ventilation and retrieve her kicking and screaming through a group of frustrated students trying to study for exams. How embarrassing. She considered telling him the first story rather than the latter. The High Commander was already put under enough stress.

Quistis felt another tug at her arm. She looked down at Alisa and stopped in the middle of the hall when she saw the state of her post-tantrum hair. She knelt down, reaching into Alisa's backpack for a brush.

"This isn't fair... I want to stay!"

"Life isn't fair – er – well, it's sometimes not fair. Not always. In your case, you've got it pretty good. Some people live their whole lives in an unfair world so count your blessings." She brushed out the tangles, trying to be as gentle as possible. Alisa's head of hair was completely unmanageable but it would be less of a shock to her parents. She examined her outfit, noticing that her pants were completely ruined, a tear running across a knee. Her tiny silk blue blouse was snagged across the front, again, ruined. The least she could do was comb the poor girls hair. "Do you realize how dangerous it was for you to climb up there? Granted, watching your Uncle Zell get stuck in weird places is funny but it wasn't safe. What were you doing hiding?" Quistis watched Alisa's expression turn to a frustrated sadness.

"I have to stay here. I have to keep daddy safe."

Quistis lifted Alisa's chin up to her eye level. "You have nothing to fear about that. Your father just happens to be one of the toughest, most strongest, most bravest men that I have ever known."

"Stronger than Uncle Zell?"

"Hey! NOBODY is stronger than your Uncle Zell!" Quistis turned around to see Zell put up his arms, flexing. His lips curled into a grin as Alisa ran up, grabbing onto his arm as he lifted her into the air and swung her around in a circle. He sat her on top of the fountain enclosure. "He's still pretty good for a gunblade specialist I guess, yeah?" The tattooed blonde winked at Quistis, who rolled her eyes.

"Alisa was just telling me that she made you climb _all the way_ into the vents because she needs to stay here to keep Squall safe." Quistis watched as Zell's eyebrow raised into a state of confusion.

"Waddaya mean by that, Lissy?" The little girl sighed and quickly darted off in the opposite direction, only to have the back of her shirt grabbed by Zell. "Err...nope. I'm not climbing up there again! You're not getting away that easily either, yeah?" He scooped her up onto his shoulders as the three of them headed toward the central elevators. "Timber ain't that bad. It's got a lot of cool history! Why don't you want to go? You've never had this much trouble leaving." Zell and Quistis both watched for a reaction. Instead they watched as Alisa leaned down, wrapping her arms around Zell's neck. "I'm not allowed to say."

"Why not? You've never held anything from us. We're the cool aunt and uncle remember?" Zell reassured with one of his signature grins. "I promise, whatever it is, even if it's scary and mean, your Auntie Quistis, Selphie and I will stomp it's ugly ass back into whatever hole it crawled out of!"

"You said a swear word." Alisa pointed out quietly.

Quistis stopped in her tracks, smacking Zell on the arm. "Language!" She scolded.

"What if it's something that we can't see? How can we fight it then?"

It finally dawned on Quistis what she was talking about. _Those dreams... he's still having them?_ She was certain he had been seeing the doctor for them. The rest of them were very lucky to have recovered from Time Compression. Squall on the other hand experienced a very terrifying side, one he had never explained in detail aloud, even after all this time. She looked to Zell who shrugged and tilted his head up to Alisa.

"Tch! That's nothing! Quistis has "super-special-magical-ultra-amazing" glasses that she wears to see the invisible monsters. All she's gotta do is see them and she'll kick their butts!"

Alisa propped her head onto Zell's. "That's not true. She just has bad eyesight."

Quistis giggled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Your Auntie Quisty happens to keep the whole garden safe from all the Buchubuchus and Bunbuns that are known to wander the halls looking for little ones who like to climb into vents."

The little brunette thought for a moment, playing with Zell's hair, braiding it back out of his eyes. "Instructor Aki wears glasses. He can't see without them. Are they invisible monster finders too?"

Zell snorted, "Hell no, Aki is just blind as a fuckin –"

"Swear."

"ZELL!"

"Shit!" Zell pursed his lips, "I meant 'Crap!' …Sorry!"

They walked in silence until they reached the third floor. Zell and Alisa raced into Squall's office as Quistis checked her messages with Ryzia.

Ryzia pulled open a packet of envelopes. "These came addressed to the High Commander, but he's been _very_ clear and specific that he wants them deferred over to someone else... I'm guessing that someone is you? Also, BNN is still requesting an interview with either you or High Commander Leonhart. I guess they didn't like the statement we released. They are asking for an exclusive. There was a call from Edea Kramer, Irvine Kinneas and a man by the name of Dr. Nilson Creswell called from D-District requesting speak with someone in charge. It sounded urgent."

"D-District?" Quistis looked at the message. "Okay... Let's –"

Ryzia and Quistis' attentions turned away from the messages when the doors to the conference hall swung open hard enough to hit the walls with a loud bang. There stood their smartly dressed High Commander, his face tightened into a firm scowl.

He looked straight at Quistis. "You found her? Where is she?" Ryzia pointed a pen in the direction of his office. He nodded, swinging the doors open and startling Zell and Alisa. "ALISA RAINE. Do you realize that we spent the better half of this morning looking for you?! This is the FOURTH time your mother has had to delay your trip to Timber because we've had to go looking for YOU. If I have to get you on that train myself I will and trust me, it won't be pretty... I had to postpone three appointments this morning. If you leave this office so help me –"

They listened as Zell tried to offer an explanation, and then hearing Squall's response. Zell quickly snuck outside as the doors closed behind him, the sound of Squall's fury becoming muffled. They all stood in silence until they heard the tone of his voice calm.

"The High Commander seems to be a bit um, _stressed._ Is there anything we can do to help him?"

Quistis really liked Ryzia. She seemed to want to do the best job she possibly can. The blonde smiled, taking her stack of mail and the call notes. "Let's move his low-priority appointments to another day and also forward any calls to his office directly to me."

"I'm not the best at administration but I don't have anywhere to be for the next few hours. Let me know if I can help." Zell smiled, shoving his hands in his pockets. Quistis motioned for him to follow into her office situated behind Ryzia's desk.

Quistis opened the door to her executive office, inviting Zell inside. It didn't take long for him to find his way to her mini fridge, pulling out a crisp apple.

They sat at her desk, unsure of where to start. The surge of data coming into the Garden was overpowering since Squall had been appointed. "Okay, how about you sort and read through these..." She pushed a stack over to Zell. "I'll get the phone calls out of the way. Any requests for SeeD Assistance forwarded to the Director of Operations go to Xu. Leave a pile somewhere and I can take them across the hall afterward."

Zell chewed noisily, inspecting an envelope. "This one says it's from Timber Maniacs."

"Pitch it. We are declining all press invitations. They can use our standard press statement and deal with it." She paused, looking at the stacks of papers. "Actually, pitch everything that requires us dressing in our uniforms and attending somewhere loud, brightly lit or fancy. I don't think Squall wants to deal with any of that just yet."

"Selphie lives to go to these things. Why don't we send her?"

Quistis beamed, "That's a great idea actually – make it happen!" Quistis started dialing and making calls while Zell sorted through the mail, the apple in his mouth held between his teeth.

She sat on hold, tapping her pen as Zell inspected one of the letters with a grimace. He ripped into the green apple and rolled his eyes.

"What is it?" Zell handed her the letter, shaking his head.

"They are relentless...it's from the UC Omega Force. Because I declined their offer they're now going to go up the chain of command ask Squall _assign_ me to them." Zell tossed the apple into the trash, returning to sorting mail.

Quistis was almost offended that he was being so indignant. They had covered the expenses for him to travel to Dollet to see their facilities and complete the exams. Zell had returned a month later and acted like it wasn't good enough for him. Omega Force was the elite of the elite in SeeD Operatives, a small collection of Master Operatives specializing in a wide range of specialties. They wanted him for his Combat Specialties and he turned it down. The Unified Council was very careful at who they appointed to protect them and carry out their most dangerous missions.

"They're offering you a significant pay grade. Omega Force is the big leagues, Zell. Didn't you want this?"

"Not after I saw the way the Operatives there ran things. I'd go insane in a month." Zell shook his head, moving the pile in his lap into the chair across from him. "I'm not a machine to just command and do, Quistis. I'm a living human being with a conscience and that's not what they wanted. Did you know they had a 'reconditioning program' that is required for all Operatives to complete before they are assigned to a team?"

"That's not true..."

"It is, Quist!" Zell leaned forward, his hand a closed fist across her desk. "UC Operatives are robots. Our training bots have more personality than any of them combined. Not a single Operative smiled while I was there. I tried asking them what's there to do for fun and they gave me this bullshit response of 'if we have free time, we have time to better ourselves.'" Zell stopped himself before he got carried away, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I'm just pissed that they can't take 'no' for an answer."

"It's understandable. Pitch it. It got lost in the mail." Quistis smiled, ripping the letter in half before passing it back to Zell.

An hour had passed and Zell had been asked to watch Alisa while Squall stepped out. Quistis sighed, wondering if they would ever be able to speak to one another. Squall could have asked her but instead he went out of his way to avoid it. She wouldn't put it past Rinoa to make him avoid her. Quistis would have been excited to see her leave a week ago when she had arrived. She respected Rinoa because she was the mother to Alisa, and when they were fighting the sorceress, she respected her because Squall cared about her. She would always be thankful for Rinoa for pulling Squall out of his shell and helping him see his potential – even Quistis had tried and failed on that part.

Even with all the respect she had in the world, she still felt a tinge of resentment toward her, a hint of underlying jealousy. She was able to have anyone she wanted, and she chased the one man Quistis ever loved.

She sighed and looked at the photo on her desk. Inside its frame held a photo of the group, the last time they were all together with Matron – after Ultimecia had been destroyed. She brought the heel of her hand to her cheek, often she missed the days when they were out there, fighting. He was always by her side then.

Often she had considered transferring, but this was just as much her home as it was his. She didn't feel as though she was the party at fault, but it would make things so much easier for everyone if she would just leave. She admired Galbadia Garden's administration staff, and Irvine _did_ offer a spot in his department, even if it meant he would endlessly push the boundaries of sexual harassment in the workplace.

The shrill ring of her office phone startled her. She dropped her thoughts and reached to answer. "Executive Assistant Quistis Trepe." If she transferred, she wondered if the title would be the same. Maybe she would go back to teaching...

" _Hello, my name is Dr. Nilson Creswell of the D-District Prison in here Galbadia. I am looking to reach High Commander Leonhart."_

"I'm sorry, Dr. Creswell – the High Commander is currently out of his office." Quistis watched as Squall walked with one of the instructors past her door. "I am his Executive Assistant and would be more than happy to speak with you."

There was a pause. _"Ms. Trepe, I am the assigned doctor for a particular prisoner we have here at D-District awaiting execution. A short time ago, we had a request from the now Former-High Commander Cid Kramer to review this prisoner's case and to file a motion to file a stay of execution."_

"What prisoner would this be? This can't be a SeeD operative, we currently have no information on file for prisoners..." Quistis' fingers flew to her computer, she had worked under Cid for 6 years and it was the first time she had ever heard of anything like this. Her hands froze when she opened the single file hidden away on Cid's old files. There it was. D-District Political Prisoner Number 527 –

" _The prisoner's name is Seifer Almasy."_

 _Seifer?_

"Oh... um..."

" _This isn't something I do with my patients but because of who the prisoner is and because the fact Cid and I are old colleagues, this is more of a courtesy call than any kind of formal contact. Do you understand? I wanted to simply inform the new High Commander that his Justice has reviewed Former-High Commander Cid Kramer's request and the motion to stay the execution has been denied."_

Quistis felt numb. She stared into the photograph on her screen of the tall blonde man, the one she fought and feared most of her life his blue eyes burning into her. The words coming out of the phone's receiver sounded miles away.

" _...will be making an announcement here in the next hour. The Justice has scheduled the execution to take place a month from today..."_

Quistis watched as Squall stepped past her office, his face buried in a file. On his arm hung Rinoa as they walked together into his office. She watched as his eyes landed just at the doorway of her office, but he averted his eyes to prevent the temptation to peek inside.

 _Please look at me. Please come inside._

" _...invitation to witness the execution yourselves. I understand that the prisoner was very close to the High Commander."_

"Um – yes. Very much. I think High Commander Leonhart would very much...um, appreciate this invitation and ah, thank you for the courtesy of calling. Will you be needing the High Commander to contact you?"

" _There's no necessary need, but if he would like to discuss Prisoner 527's current status, I can provide him with a few bits of declassified information."_

"I'm sorry – declassified information?"

" _Prisoner 527 is currently enrolled in a few projects that Galbadia has been working on. It's something I cannot discuss further, I'm afraid."_

"I see. Thank you for calling Dr. Creswell. I will forward the information you have given me to the High Commander personally."

She hung up the phone, her body froze.

 _A month from today?_

She had grieved for Seifer when he was sentenced nearly five years ago. Most cases when the execution sentence was given they held the prisoners for a minimum of ten, sometimes even twenty years before finally scheduling it. Why so soon?

Quistis gathered her hastily written notes and stood, smoothing the front of her red pencil skirt. She was headed to Squall's office. She opened the door, relieved to find Squall alone, his jacket had been removed and rested on the armchair beside his desk. The grey gingham dress shirt he wore was tight but fitting, the sleeves unbuttoned and pushed up to show his forearms. She could watch the muscles of his arm flex as he scribbed away. It had been the first time in a week that she managed to get him by himself. She watched as his hand drifted away from resting on paperwork to a sandwich he had begun pecking on. It looked like the one he had started eating yesterday but tossed in the fridge. Squall took a bite, looking up from the files on his desk. She had broken his concentration as his pen slowed to a stop.

"What is it?"

Quistis' heart pounded through her chest. The way he looked at her made her blush. Had he always looked at her that way?

 _He's so handsome._

She had to fight to maintain her composure. "Did you know that Cid filed to stop Seifer's execution?" Her fingers fumbled with the messages, crinkling the edges. She studied his reaction, watching the way his pronounced adam's apple moved when he swallowed. He cleared his throat, nodding. "He told me about it the day before he and Matron left. Was it denied?"

"Yes... how did you know?" Quistis furrowed her brow. Watching Squall approached her to collect the notes in her hands. He looked over them his thumbs brushing over the curled edges.

"Seifer tried and failed to assassinate Rinoa's father. They're not going to just let him live after that." He turned to retreat back to his desk. Quistis followed.

"Doesn't Fury Caraway have any say in the matter?"

"He does, that's why the motion was denied." Squall folded his hands behind his head, arching his back. Quistis could hear his spine pop as he stretched. The fabric between the buttons pulled tight, revealing hints of the undershirt beneath. He shook out his arms, reaching for his pen.

"Well... isn't there something that – I mean... you could talk to Rinoa's father..."

Squall looked around the room and back at her, "And do what? Ask him to retract his vote? Ask him to change his mind?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt." Quistis was catching on to the irritated tone in his voice. Why was he being so short with her?

"And... exactly why would I do that? Seifer is a criminal." His eyes went down to his paperwork. "He made his choices, nobody else put him in there but him."

Quistis froze, unable to think of what to say in response. She fumbled with her hands, her fingers playing with the long beaded necklace that hung around her neck. Her weight shifted on her left side as she struggled to find the right words. "I just thought that –"

"Damn it, Quistis, is your job to stand there and look like a clueless idiot? I don't have time to deal with this. Xu has a briefing mission that's fifteen minutes away and I've got to wrap this up so I can take the girls to the train station afterward. I don't have time to answer your questions and do for Seifer Almasy!" He tightened his lips, frustrated. She watched as he put a hand to his forehead, calmly setting the pen back in the holder. He lifted his head, exhaling. "I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that."

"I didn't deserve _any_ of it." She folded her arms, turning as she walked out the door. She looked back at him, eyes narrowed. "By the way, we have been invited as witnesses to Seifer's execution. That sounds like something you'd be in favor of. Let me know if I can set that up."

She didn't mean to snap back at him but she was tired of being ignored, tired of being frustrated. Quistis kept walking, avoiding the staff's eye contact as she moved past them. She shut her office door, feeling relief in the silence. It wasn't long before Squall swung the door open and quickly closed it. Not wanting to draw attention. She watched him pause, his hand still on the door before he turned to face her. His entire demeanor had changed. Squall stepped deeper inside her office, taking in his surroundings.

"The time we had together... it's gone." He spoke in a low voice. "I'm trying to make things right between Rinoa. I took the teaching position because it kept me away from you, away from this floor. I've avoided being near you but truth is, I..." Squall's voice trailed as he leaned against her desk. "I have spent the last five years avoiding you because I feel guilt. I couldn't control my actions."

 _But you were in control, Squall._

She remembered the way he kissed her that night, how everything else after that came natural, real.

 _What about how I feel?_

Quistis could see that he was struggling with this. He had folded his arms around him, lost in his thoughts.

"Squall –"

"I'm drowning here. I have cadets that need tested out, the UC has chosen Balamb as this year's Summit, I've got phone calls and emails pouring in _nonstop,_ five SeeD teams dispatched in Galbadia and Timber have not reported in as they were ordered to and we don't know where they are. I feel like the moment I took this position the whole world just decided to fall right in my lap! I can't get on top of this on my own. I need your help so... I need to keep our relationship professional. I've been keeping my distance from you because I don't know what else I can do." He straightened his back, heading to the door. "We can either do that or..."

"Or what? I can leave?" Quistis' eyes narrowed as she walked to the door, Squall looked toward her window, rubbing the back of his head.

"It's one of the possibilities." He said quietly, his gaze moving to her. "Maybe it's better that–"

"I have done _everything_ within my power to make things easier for you. I have kept my distance, I have kept silent. My reward is for you to push me away? Push me to move out of my own damn home?!" She turned and opened the door. "You can count on my professionalism, but that's all I can give you. If you need something that pertains to Garden, I'm here. Otherwise, get the hell out of my office."

–

 _Damn it I'm late!_

She didn't mean to doze off after Squall had left. She had been making calls and sorting through mail for hours and she just needed to rest her eyes and relieve the headache that was forming.

Quistis quietly opened the door to the briefing room, desperately pleading to Hyne that she wouldn't disturb the meeting. The room was dark, the screen that sat on the opposite end of the room illuminated with names and locations. The Trabia Incident, as it was aptly named.

At the table sat Zell, along with Selphie and Rinoa. At the head of the table, to the left of Rinoa's chair, Squall. It was strange to Quistis that Xu had called together such a small meeting.

The seat reserved only for the Executive Assistant sat empty beside the High Commander. Quistis begrudgingly sat down, quietly placing her clipboard on the large U-Shaped table. She closed her eyes, she was close enough to smell the intoxicating scent of Squall's cologne.

 _Damn it, stop it, Quistis..._

Xu stood at the podium, switching over to her next slide. "Approximately 2 hours ago we received intel that strongly points us to a paramilitary group led by a man named Endrik Mireille. We have determined that the assassin who somehow escaped out of custody is from this proclaimed Syndicate. We do not have visual descriptions or specific locations yet but he was known to live in Deling City briefly with his daughter. This was allegedly before he gained the position as leader. He has three lieutenants, no names found on them just yet."

"Okay, so what do we know so far?" Zell's leg shook anxiously as he chewed on his thumb.

"Nowhere near enough. They are cautious. We do know that they call themselves Syndicate. Intelligence believes that they are privately funded, hired for various activities including but not limited to illegal or dangerous experimentation, terrorist activities, sabotage and assassination."

Quistis stole a glance when Squall leaned back in his chair, his back seemed to have been hurting him. He groaned when his back popped. "Has Galbadia declared the Syndicate as a terrorist cell?"

Xu reviewed her notes, nodding. "Yes, Galbadia declared the Syndicate as a terrorist organization and has issued an order to prosecute identified Syndicate agents accordingly. If Galbadia sees them as a threat, I think we should as well."

 _Wait..._

The name had sounded familiar to Quistis. She reached for her phone, the light catching the attention from everyone in the room. She sifted through the files, looking for one specific line of text. "Is there anything in the briefing about Seifer Almasy?"

"Quistis..." Squall whispered. Quistis put her hand up, continuing to hunt and sift through mission debriefings, classified materials, emails, Operative dossiers until...

"Here, this right here..." She sent the dossier to to Xu, who added it to the display on the screen. "During the time when Ultimecia had taken over and possessed Matron, she also gained the assistance of this Syndicate Cell in Galbadia. It was rumored that Endrik Mireille knew the location of the Lunatic Pandora and aided Seifer in retrieving it. Is it possible we could go and speak to Seifer and see what he knows? Perhaps we could bring him here–"

Rinoa shook her head. "Let him stay where he is. This bastard tried to kill my father – he won't tell us what we need to know anyway. I can use my contacts from the Resistance..."

"But...Seifer _could_ have more information than we already have. We could speak with him, couldn't we? We have to try..." Selphie looked around the table. "Squall, you're going to be a representative for the Council, right? Can't you talk to them?"

"No," was the quick response Squall gave to Selphie. "My position on the Council will not be jeopardized by this. We can send out a team of Operatives to gather our information."

"You and Quistis are attending the execution, right? Why not just ask him before it happens? You have the authority to do so..." Xu was on board, mostly.

"I haven't confirmed that with Ryzia yet..." Quistis watch Squall mutter, rubbing his shoulder.

"Isn't this something we should be consulting with the UC with?"

"Yes –" Squall's voice was growing tense.

"Actually Galbadia and the Unified Council has given us the permissions to send out a minimum of two squads to investigate."

"I don't want us to have to deal with Seifer. We need to keep as much distance between us and him as possible –" Squall's voice was getting louder.

"What if he still has friends inside the Syndicate? What if they get wind that we know more about them?"

"Seifer can't have contact with anyone. They have him in solitary."

Squall had already lost control of the situation. The more he tried to reason with the group the less his voice was heard. While everyone's excitement intensified, Quistis watched as Squall's breathing became shallower, his jaw clenched tight.

 _Why does Squall hate the idea of speaking to Seifer? Was it because I had suggested it first?_

Quistis fought the urge to reach over and put a hand on his shoulder. Before she could react, Rinoa had caught Quistis' gaze, her expression turning to one in defense, a hand squeezing Squall's other shoulder.

 _I need to keep our relationship professional..._

His words flooded her mind as she folded her hands in her lap. She hated feeling this way. She hated missing him while hating him. It wasn't fair.

"You two seriously believe all that media hype?" Zell raised an eyebrow. "Do you guys know where they _really_ take their allegedly executed war criminals? Galbadia doesn't listen to the UC. They do whatever the hell they want with them..."

"Zell, enough." Squall buried his face in his hands.

"Just hear me out – Galbadia is seriously sick and twisted with this stuff, yeah? Remember when they claimed that they executed those two Resistance members from Timber when the Council was first established? Squall, Rinoa – you remember – um, what's his face's cousin – Watts! _His_ cousin was one of them, right?! Okay, so they did this huge, "we are the authority and we're gonna publicly execute these people blah, blah, blah..." television event and had them being killed by lethal injection, right?"

"Zell."

"Let me finish, Squall! Okay... so like, apparently the doctor who had mixed the injection was actually knocking them out with a sedative! There's video online if you know where to look where someone recorded videos of these "allegedly dead" prisoners that were in this weird experimental trial ran by this nutcase doctor. The trial was like, merging magic without having to junction to a GF, right? So, Galbadia knew about it but because he was privately funded, they didn't care! They couldn't really pin much on him and they listed the videos as fake..."

 _When Zell gets worked up, he really gets worked up._

"Wait, but the UC would figure this out by now, wouldn't they?" Selphie leaned forward, completely engrossed in the story.

 _Mr. Know-It-All-Zell..._

"Not if the UC doesn't know about it! Okay, so, like, two years after they were allegedly 'killed,' the younger of the two had escaped. Not the cousin, but the younger guy. He showed washed up on the beach and had somehow made his way into this random town out in the middle of nowhere. He was all torn up and nasty. He was mumbling and chewing his fingers off…scary shit. This one farmer guy, he ended up getting too close and this dude ended up like launching onto him and chewing off his ear. Sick, yeah!? HIS EAR. He spit it out and ended up getting taken out."

The room sat in a confused silence, struggling to piece together what Zell had spent the last few minutes rambling about. He sat, looking around. "I wonder if that's what's going to happen to Seifer...Hey! You know, I bet that we could –"

"ZELL!"

Quistis watched as Squall stood, his hands slammed the table. She watched as Zell sunk into his seat like a child.

"I am a Unified Council Member. I am both the Commander AND High Commander of this Garden. I am in charge of the _entire_ SeeD Collective. I am _your_ superior! This means that what I _say_ is my command." This was the most anyone had ever heard Squall yell, his voice demanded respect. Quistis watched as he dropped his head, breathing heavily.

"It has been 72 hours since I last slept. I am exhausted. I am overworked. I do not want to listen about _bullshit_ stories Zell has read about online."

He sat, calming down, closing his folder. "We will be sending out two squads. Xu, I will have you take two squadmates of your choosing. You will be going to Trabia, find out what you can. Zell, find a Squad Leader who you can trust to send out to Galbadia. I don't need to know who, you know the best of our SeeDs. Dispatch Operatives Crass, Eaves and Thorne. We need intel. Selphie, send a request for Trabia, find any security footage from your interaction with the Assassin. Quistis? Clear my schedule for the next few days. You are all dismissed, I am taking the rest of the evening to spend with my family." Squall stood, walking out without another word.

They all gathered their tasks and left shortly after. Quistis had managed to find a way to give Squall an additional day off to relax from his hectic schedule. She hadn't realized that he was under so much stress. Her drawer contained an unopened bottle of Sylkis, a gift from Irvine when he had last visited. She grabbed a glass, going to Squall's office.

Quistis had found Squall had collapsed on his desk, his arms folded, head down. She sighed, setting the bottle down in front of him.

"My brain can't process anything else... If you're here to –"

"Consider this as a professional courtesy." She opened the bottle, pouring him a glass. He moved his hand, feeling for the glass and sitting up. He took a drink and sat the glass back down.

"Xu is already getting ready to leave immediately, Zell has appointed himself for Squad B, and your schedule has been cleared and pushed to give you four days to unwind." She poured him another shot and watched him take it. Quistis tipped the bottle back again.

"I suggest you pull it together and figure out the next step, Commander. If it was easy for this Assassin to infiltrate one of our more secure Gardens, getting in Balamb will be cakewalk." She poured him another, watching as he stared at the glass, his head lolling from side to side. "Squall?"

"Hm? Yeah. I'll get on it." Squall grabbed the glass and drank his shot.

"You were drinking before I came in here haven't you?" She closed the bottle and walked around and helped him stand.

"Just a little...I couldn't stop myself so I drank the whole damn bottle. Cid said it was for days when I got stressed... now I'm just drunk." Squall was the worst lightweight when it came to drinking. His head was dropped to his chest, but his legs still functioned for the most part as Quistis helped him walk. She led him to his couch, laying him down and slipping off his shoes. It didn't take long for him to start snoring.

Quistis smiled, gently removing her shoes and tip-toeing out of the office.

"Thanks Quistis... I love you..."

 _I love you too._


	6. I Would Ask for Mercy

The cold water soothed his skin, sending shivers down his back. He drowned everything out, his mind clear, his body becoming clean. The bar of soap slid across his freshly tanned chest, tiny white bubbles forming, mixing in with the filth from a hard days work. The entire day had been spent on the harbor, and smell of salt and fish had soaked into his pores.

Seifer hated fishing. He hated anything to do with fish.

The only thing he hated worse than fish was the feeling of being dirty. His cleanliness was his pride, he never minded hard labor but the grime on his skin made him want to jump out of it. He meticulously cleaned under his nails, rinsing the dirt away.

With a long exhale, he brought his face directly under the brand new shower head he had worked so much overtime so he could afford it. Best investment – ever, he thought to himself, a sucker for small luxuries. He was twenty, but his body felt fifty. When the water hit him like drops of rain, he smiled, his body almost instantly feeling revitalized, alive. He was twenty but his body soon matched in age when the heat of the water relaxed the tense muscles in his shoulders, arms and back.

His aching hands reacted and reached for the soft touch of his lover. He didn't even notice when she had snuck inside the cramped shower. She wrapped her arms around his broad chest, her hands disturbing the calm streams of water that fell. His body turned to face her, his mouth immediately finding hers.

"NEXT."

Seifer's mind was brought back to reality. He shrugged away the ghosts in his mind as the guard had called the next group of prisoners. He was twenty-seven with the body of a broken man, defeated and weak. He stepped forward, silent. Prisoners walked around him, avoiding him. He was a walking corpse, dead in four days. His body ran on auto-pilot.

He unwrapped the towel that hung on his hips, carefully hanging it on the hook behind him. His towel was the only thing he cared to keep as clean as possible. They seldom dispensed new ones. He had grown accustomed to making everything in there last as long as possible. Seifer pulled back the cloudy yellow curtain, his nude form stepping into the poor excuse for a shower. His eyes looked up at the filthy showerhead, held together by tape dripping with murky water. Seifer blinked slowly, debating if it was pointless to even go through with this.

His palm slapped the worn down button used to turn on the water. He had two minutes to wash and rinse before it shut off. The water came out in little spurts at first and then blasted outward, the pressure on way too high. There was only one temperature - scalding hot. Seifer jumped back an inch, turning his head away when the water splashed his face, his expression unchanged. He had felt it so many times that the blast of heat didn't faze him much.

The used bar of soap sat underneath the faucet. The same dingy yellow as the curtain. He washed it off, rinsing the layer of grime first before applying it to his skin. There were no white bubbles, no fresh, clean scent except his own and the fishy mildew smell of the water. He lathered the soap, reaching behind his back, feeling the entry-wound scar that reminded him of the reason why he was there. He sighed, sweeping his hand into wide circles across his chest. His muscle mass had dwindled, he felt like a skeleton when he felt his fingers move past his rib cage. He felt as sickly as he looked, starved and malnourished, gaunt, hollow. The words he would have never used to describe himself. Regal, assertive, proud. He took his hands and vigorously scrubbed his face, his nails scratching into the growing stubble.

His once-pale blonde hair was now a dull light brown from grease, so long it began to curl around the frame of his face. His skin was so pale, his veins were easy to find. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to feel the warmth of sun on his skin. He used to love being outdoors.

He hoped that his execution would be an outdoor event, but he didn't hold out on hope any longer.

"TIME. YOU HAVE 1 MINUTE."

Two minutes was entirely too short to spend cleaning off a month, or in Seifer's case, three months worth of grime. He hated showering in this place almost as bad as he hated fish, almost as much as being dirty.

He dipped his head at the last minute, his long once-blonde locks almost repelling the water at first. He didn't have time to properly wash it, but he could at least have an ounce of comfort in having his hair out of his eyes for a while. His hair had not been cut in several months. His skin was clean enough when the water stopped running. He turned, reaching for the towel on the hook, only to find it had fallen on the slimy, mildew coated floor. He snatched it up, quickly wrapping his body and falling in line.

 _What does it matter? Why try any longer..._

He stood in a line along other inmates, who kept their eyes forward. Seifer kept his at his nails, fixated on cleaning the black that had become trapped underneath. He did the best he could. Exercise in the prison was difficult with the confined spaces and the dry square loaves of grey they called food was just enough to fill his stomach but never gain weight. He dusted his fingers and ran his hands through his greasy hair, praying it would stay in place once it dried.

The line moved forward to return to their cells. Seifer's chest felt the cold of a metal baton stop him in his tracks. He looked to see Harvill, the prison guard who ran the Execution ward. He was a tall burly man, a salt-and-pepper buzz cut and a double chin. His body was massive. His arms like huge ham hocks and a uniform that barely fit across him, the buttons seeming to desperately want to give way. "To the wall, Almasy."

Seifer stepped to the side, his back pressing against the wall as his toes peeked over the faded yellow line that stretched across the floor. He watched as the same other four men were selected. Just like last time. And the last. And the last, and so on.

"I betcha you're all thinking you're getting strip searched, huh?" Harvill let out a wheezing laugh. He motioned for the guards to approach the inmates, shackling them together."Just stay with your hands to yer'selves. Move forward."

Seifer held his towel in place as he led the group out of the showers and passed the cells. They had not yet been given clothes. Instead of taking the left hall, they turned right. They were heading up the spire, to be examined. Vitals checked, blood drawn, weighed, measured and pricked with needles. Seifer didn't know what it was about, and he couldn't bother to care.

 _I'm already dead._

It was the same every few months. At least the medicine they fed into his IV were keeping him healthier than most of the inmates. He looked around, noticing they had the prisoners surrounded with more guards than usual. Something must have been different this time.

They could feel they were above ground today, the heat was stifling. Cracks of sunlight peeked out of the open vents on the ceiling. If only there could have been a way he could reach them... They stepped inside the elevator, Harvill taking the lead and pressing the button. When the doors opened they found themselves in the brightly lit hallway of the medical wing. The light blinded them at first, but there was no time to adjust. A yank in the chain they were led by brought them to heel as they followed, finding themselves in an examination room. They were given a pair of government issued cotton pants and a shirt. Seifer brought the shirt to his nose, taking in a breath. It was the cleanest thing he had held in a long time. He slipped the shirt on, it's softness almost foreign. Their towels were pitched down a laundry chute, forgotten. They were restrained to the bed, ready for the exam.

A team of nurses walked in and began taking their vital signs. The nurse caring for Seifer reached a hand under his shirt, placing the sticky telemetry leads on his chest and back. He felt a pressure cuff wrap around his arm. The nurses never spoke, they never asked. They did their job and moved to the next patient. It was the closest thing to human interaction he got and instead of trying to communicate, Seifer instead kept his eyes to the camera that had been set up on a tripod across the room. He watched the red button blinking rapidly. He never questioned it, he remained silent. Curiosity in this place meant you drew attention to yourself.

"Patient V is showing signs of hypertension, Patient Y was complaining of nausea so I want to administer an anti-nausea regimen. We also need to watch his blood pressure. Patient X is good to go, just a little dehydrated. Administer saline and then we can go ahead and send him back down." The nurses reported to the doctor who arrived along with his associates. Dr. Creswell nodded, taking the clipboard and smiling at the patients.

Creswell was a slender man, his hair trimmed and pushed back, his pungent scent of aftershave followed him wherever he went. He scanned the row of beds through a pair of round glasses that rested at his nose. "Gentlemen! The greatest and brightest minds of Galbadia have spent years developing a project which if successful, could revolutionize the world as we know it. You five have been selected to be the first to test out this procedure in the human trial stages!"

 _Perfect, so if it fails, all you have to do is kill your witnesses, and they are already sentenced to death..._

Seifer watched the inmate beside him brush away the nurse taking his vitals. "I don't mind you taking my blood and vitals for science but I never signed up for any experimental procedures..."

Seifer watched as Dr. Creswell smiled, approaching the prisoner. "See that's the beauty of this. You actually did. When you chose to commit treason against Galbadia, when you tried and failed to murder a general, when you rigged explosives to the Galbadian consulate, you renounced your rights. We can do whatever we'd like, although, your cooperation will make things _much_ easier in the long run."

Seifer heard an inmate at the end of the row, "Is it going to be painful?"

"What does it matter if it hurts? We're all dead anyway." Even if it wasn't the once proud lively voice, it still contained the same even and commanding tone. Seifer's voice, although quiet was enough to silence the other inmates.

Dr. Creswell turned to Seifer, approaching his bed. This attitude pleased the Doctor. Seifer felt his shadow on his face. "Seifer Almasy... You've been exceptionally quiet this time. Are you nervous?" He gave the doctor a dose of silence. The doctor leaned in, his hand on Seifer's shoulder. "I'm very excited to see what we discover with _your_ help."

Seifer observed the nurse inserting the IV into his arm. He was being given Saline, deducing that he was Patient X. The nurse reached up, squeezing the bag to push the fluid to go in faster. He crinkled his mouth, able to taste the unpleasant salty taste from the flush.

A blonde woman with her back turned to Seifer seemed irritable as she gestured to the beds. "You understand that we are on a strict time limit. My superior will not tolerate failure, need I have to remind you what happened last time our doctor failed?"

"The new Infusions are starting to come together. In a few days we'll have the results. You just focus on your job and I'll do mine."

Seifer always had exceptional hearing. He turned his head to look at the nurse, watching her but listening to them.

"I'm sure I don't need to stress to you the importance of what this means. My job is to secure our asset after the project is complete." The blonde turned her ear to Seifer, almost as if she knew he was listening. She grabbed the doctors arm, walking out with him. "If it fails... you're looking at a very long and grueling process before my Superior is finished with you..."

When the saline bag had been emptied, he was disconnected and escorted back down to his personal solitary cell – the very ones he had used to detain his prisoners when he was in charge. That time felt like a forever ago for him. The doors closed and locked tight. The pressure changing as he lay flat on his back on the metal slab of a poor excuse of a bed, drifting into sleep.

In his dreams he saw the dead and the living. He could see their bodies, her silver hair, his dark skin, blood spattered across the chest. They were his only best friends, his posse. They haunted him each night. He could see himself screaming as he pressed the gun to Caraway's temple, desperately wanting to pull the trigger. He could see the shadow as it moved in the darkness, striking out with gold gilded daggers. Seifer could feel his feet hitting the pavement in his dreams. He could feel the bullet enter into his shoulder. He could see himself as he collapsed. The accusatory fingers, the lives he did not end. He saw ghosts there one moment and not the next. Fujin, Raijin, Adel, Ultimecia. He could see his mother, what memories he had of her. He couldn't remember her face but he knew it was her. The strawberry blonde hair, she smelled like warmth and sunlight. He watched her push him into a tight space. He could still feel the warm blood as it sprayed across his face. Seifer could feel the tightness wrapping around him as his mother fell to the floor. He saw the memories all at once. They surrounded him.

Most of his dreams came to him as memories. It was the only time he felt anything. There as a flash and Seifer could feel the spray of the ocean, the sand on his feet, the sun on his skin. Seifer looked down, seeing his lover using his arm as a pillow, a small black object in her hands. He couldn't hear her voice but he knew she was pleading for a smile. Seifer smiled in his dreams. There was a flash. A photograph. He watched as she waved the picture despite his explanations of doing so never helped it develop faster. Another flash. A laugh. She climbed on top of him, stealing his book and kissing him. She reached under his legs, finding his only weakness as he burst in laughter. Arms grabbing her, tickling her back. He watched as she laughed, her eyes a vibrant green, full of life. She made him feel again after Ultimecia.

Another flash, he lay in bed beside her, brushing the hair from the nape of her neck as she slept in his favorite red shirt, the one that she loved to see him wear. He remembered pressing his body close to hers, smelling her sweet skin, his hand on her belly as he slept. She made him feel like a human again. She made him –

Before Seifer realized it, he felt a force pull him upright. He was back in the prison. The cold, dark, depressing coffin of a prison. Back in the prison, the guards had him in a tight hold, quickly restraining his wrists. The comfort that he had felt was stolen, and he was alone again.

"You have a visitor." The guards surrounded him, weapons pointed toward his chest as they began to shackle him.

"The restraints aren't necessary. He won't attack me. Remove them."

"Yes sir, Councilman."

Seifer's eyes narrowed as he adjusted to the light coming from outside the cell. A slender silhouette stood in the frame, slowly coming into focus as he entered. It took him a moment to recognize the person but when he did, his eyes hardened and his chin raised up. "Squall Leonhart."

Squall dismissed the guards with an authoritative nod. As they left, he pulled a metal stool from outside the cell. Seifer stood, hands resting at his hips as he walked around Squall, examining him from the styled textured hair to the fancy button down shirt, pressed dress pants and tan oxfords. Squall didn't even wear an earring any longer. It amused Seifer, it was like looking at an object in a science fair.

"This is a surprise. What have you done to yourself? I hardly recognize you..." He leaned in, sniffing. "That cologne smells expensive...very nice."

"Seifer." Squall stuck his hands in his pockets. "Sit down."

"My manners are a bit... lost." Seifer sat back on his metal slab, kicking a knee up and resting his arms. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Squall sat across from Seifer, folding his hands in front of the grey dress shirt he wore. Squall composed himself, giving himself a long moment before he spoke.

"Eleven days ago, I sent two teams of my best SeeD operatives to Deling City and Timber. Xu was assigned as Squad Leader for one, Zell for the other. He insisted on going and I authorized it. Both of them had taken advanced specialty training in reconnaissance so it all seemed as though it would be ideal. They were dispatched with the orders to gather intelligence and report back but –" Squall drew in a short breath, his words catching on his throat. "A week ago, while I was having breakfast with my daughter, this terrorist cell hacked into the Balamb News Network and showed the bodies of thirty-three people who were killed on the train heading out of Balamb. They then executed Xu on live television. They have revealed and executed an operative every day since." Squall's blue eyes peered through his bangs, looking at his sworn enemy.

Seifer sighed, "And your response is to come visit your old enemy? Hm?"

"The group that is single handedly picking off my best operatives is the same group you hired to assist you in locating the Lunatic Pandora."

Seifer let out a laughless chuckle, he stood with his back turned away from Squall. "So, you want information in the hopes that I can save _your_ people, am I right?"

"We need a location, names, places of interest, anything right now." Squall kept his eyes on Seifer as he began to pace. "Seifer. If you have ever had a shred of compassion for the people we grew up with, I'm very calmly, humbly, asking for your help. You know how hard it is for me to do that –"

Seifer spun around, amused. "Oh, is this _hard_ for you? This – _This_ is _hard_? You must really be struggling with this then if you had to come here and beg for _my_ help." He brought his hands to his chest, clutching to his heart as he mocked Squall. "You certainly have a knack for dramatics, Leonhart."

"What the hell you talking about?"

"You come to me for help? After everything you've done to me you entitled son-of-a-bitch? You know, I've got a lot of information that you would find _very_ helpful. You want names? You got them. Locations? I'll give you plenty. But what is it that I get out of it?"

"I can't give you your freedom." Squall stood. "You know your sentence is set."

"Okay, will you put me in a room with Caraway?" Seifer folded his arms, narrowing his eyes. "Just a few minutes, I won't need much time."

Squall shot a glare. "No. Didn't you do enough damage on your way down?"

Seifer scoffed, dismissing Squall with a hand. "He took someone from me."

"That doesn't excuse you trying to kill him."

"Except that it kind of does, you see... because _Daddy-in-Law_ had his little henchmen take out Fujin and Raijin as well. I tried to tell you but... you denied any requests I put in to speak to you." He watched as Squall stood, still just shy a few inches shorter than Seifer.

"They traced Fujin and Raijin's murders back to you. Your prints were on the gun."

"They died before I got my hands on that gun!" Seifer's voice echoed in the small chamber. "Why would I kill my two best friends – they were my FAMILY, Squall!"

"The evidence –"

"Always such a forward thinker aren't you? Y'know, out of the respect I _thought_ we had for each other... I came to you to get your help. You turned me away." Seifer closed the space between them, rolling his shoulders back. "I tried playing by society's rules, I called on you for help and instead you shut me out. It all could have been avoided if you had just picked up the phone."

"It was a conflict of interest –"

"Fuck your conflict of interest." Seifer hissed, jerking his head toward his rival. "You are just as guilty as he is... don't try to deny that I tried to ask for your help and you shut me out!"

"This was a mistake..." Squall turned to walk out, stopping when Seifer's hand gripped his arm.

"Buy me time." Seifer stood, eye to eye with Squall. "Make up for it. You know you hold guilt in this. You could file an injunction, rumors around here say you're in charge of Garden, hm? You got a _nice, cushy_ seat on the Council? You've got the power, even if you choose not to believe it. You want to see your people again? Give me time by letting me help you catch Syndicate, which, with my knowledge, won't take long." He stepped closer. His voice low. "And knowing Syndicate like I do? They already know you've been here. You're going to need to move and fast–"

"Give me something. Anything–" Squall felt Seifer's bony fingers wrap tight around his arm, drawing him in to hear the bare whisper.

"Buy me time–"

"Tell me and I promise to do everything I can. It's all I can offer."

"They have compounds all over Galbadia. Try the one just west of the Yaulny Canyon. I remember that one had space for them to keep people. Underground bunker, it held holding cells. I never went down there but then again, I left before they started using them. They used it to recondition new recruits. It's hard to find but if you enter through the forests there's a gravel road, it'll lead you to the front doors."

Squall pulled back, nodding. "Thank you, thank you Seifer..." He started moving out of the cell when Seifer pulled him back in, keeping him close. The guards stood, shooting glaring threats as they pulled out batons.

"I just gave you their main base of operations, Leonhart. You will have most of Syndicate in your hands by the end of the day if you hurry." Seifer released his grip, his eyes locked on Squall's as he stepped away. "You have four days to make things right. Don't forget that you promised."


	7. The Patter

**Note: Adult Content Warning**

* * *

"On my count, Nino... three... two... one...GO." Torrin kicked open the doors to the train, his daggers coming out of the sheaths attached at his side. He spun them, going to the passengers beginning to stand in their seats, confused.

Nino followed close behind, she reached behind her back, feeling the crossed sheaths and gripping the handles. She stared at the back of Torrin's head as she reached out, cutting the throats of two targets in the next seats. She felt the heat of the blood spilling on her hands.

 _Execute. Torrin commands it. Remember you are his Support, his tool for the coming war. He is your Superior, you the Subordinate._

He sliced two more in the seats after her targets. She walked past, sheathing her left blade. Arms were reaching for Torrin. Nino's hands gripped onto the hair of a man, reeling his neck back, his throat meeting her steel. Nino pushed away the body, flicking the blade and sliced it into the body leaping out of their seat across. Her eyes never left Torrin's neck.

 _Ten targets. Eliminated._

Torrin wiped the blood across his coat and opened the door to the train car. He turned, looking into Nino's dead eyes.

"Same as before, my love." He kissed her, blood on his lips. She could taste it in her mouth.

"Yes, sir."

"Take the lead on this one." He motioned for her to step ahead. Without hesitation she sheathed her daggers, gripping onto the rails and jammed her feet to the door. It swung open with little effort.

She blinked, freezing. Seifer stood at the opposite end of the car. He smiled, motioning for her to come to him.

 _You will never see him again..._

Nino blinked, remembering nothing. She unsheathed her daggers, watching Seifer. She rammed the blades into chest cavities, watching as Seifer frowned.

"Where did you go, Nino?" His eyes expressed concern, worry.

Nino listened to the squelches, the spurts as she ripped out the throats of faceless victims. Her eyes softened, tears welled in her eyes. Or was it blood? She couldn't tell. They both stung her eyes.

"What happened to you?" Seifer folded his arms, examining her actions.

Nino jerked back her blades, flicking the blood. She blinked the wetness away from her eyes. Her lip quivered.

"I... don't know..." She whispered. She tasted salt and copper. Nino's legs wouldn't let her walk any closer. Instead, she could see Seifer coming towards her, a thumb brushing away blood. He looked behind, shaking his head.

"Look at what you've done...you've become the monster."

She turned, her daggers falling to her feet. For an instance she felt pain. The back of her hand went to her face. She couldn't believe this was real.

A family, children. Teens, an old man in a hat. These were not targets.

 _Victims. These are victims._

"What have I done?!" Nino gasped, her entire body began to shake. She gasped when Torrin stepped into her field of vision. He rushed towards her, commanding her but she couldn't hear him. She looked at the blood as it pooled in the car. She felt wobbly, weak. The sting of a slap across the face sent her reeling into the wall.

"YOU WILL OBEY."

Nino's mind cleared. She looked up, shaken. She nodded, feeling his hands pull her upright. He put the daggers back in her hand, jerking her body forward. He held her from behind. Speaking through a clenched jaw. "Your duty is to me. You will obey. You will do your job without question." He squeezed her neck, "Look at them. What do you see?"

 _Victims. Those are innocent lives you took. You are a monster. Victims, Nino. Victims._

"Targets." She wiped away the blood and tears. "They are Targets, Torrin."

He spun her around, looking into her eyes, his tone eased. "That's right. Good girl. You will stay here until I call for you."

"Yes, sir..." Nino watched as the Procurement team swept through, ready to collect their three SeeD targets. She reached down, feeling the patter in her chest. The moment her hand touched her chest it faded. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in years.

She blinked, standing in the compound. The spring afternoon sun beamed on the group of agents standing on the platform.

 _Another broadcast..._

Nino watched as the SeeD target convulsed on the platform. Blood was spilling over the side, making a sick wet sound. This one they called Crass.

 _Down to two targets. This one cried._

She stood behind the camera, her eyes moved to her father as he flicked the blade, wiping it on the pants of the corpse. She watched as he kicked the body over. The target had been eliminated.

"Witness us as we bring the war to the steps Galbadia. A message for SeeD...your world as you know it will soon end. Pull out your Operatives from our country or more will die."

The camera stopped rolling and everyone began to run the next objectives. As she moved out of the way she watched the Subordinates drag the body away. Blood had splashed on the white pebble path leading to the buildings.

 _It was a target. It was eliminated. Torrin corrected your thinking, remember?_

She watched her father head back into the house, on the phone likely with Torrin's father.

 _Artos Almasy..._

"Nino, report to the bunker. Torrin commands it." Urvo walked by, slipping his coat back on. Several male agents had been down in the bunker today. What was going on?

She looked around, watching everyone in their new uniforms. Artos Almasy had supplied them with a more uniformed look for their cause. Everyone had been given the standard ballistic shirts they were accustomed to. High collar, strong protection against bullets and projectiles. Standard black. She was given a set of new wrist guards. They were hardy, offering snap options for optimal comfort. They protected her wrists well enough in combat. She had the opportunity to test them out when they had retrieved the Squad en route to Timber.

She opened her coat, stifled in the spring afternoon. The coats for the assassins were unique than the others. It gave Nino the impression of a morning coat cross-bred with a remnant Galbadian naval coat from years long past. Adamantine plates fixed between the fabrics gave her flexibility and protection. The front panel of the coat overlapped when it closed and was longer than the standard coats, the collar edged out into a sharper point while the hood was easily removable with snaps. Classy, but a bit dramatic. She wore them with her black leathers and riding boots. Nino quickly learned that Artos deeply cared for how they appeared on camera, the styles stuck with the traditional Centran fashions.

 _Report to the bunker._

Urvo's words echoed in her mind and she felt her legs carrying her. The compound smelled of blood and corpses. Something about the way the bodies had begun piling up made her feel differently than how she reacted. She couldn't escape the scent. Even visiting Urvo's alchemy garden couldn't take the stench away. It followed her everywhere.

 _Why do they make me feel sadness? They're supposed to be the enemy._

She approached the entrance. Two agents standing at attention saluted her.

"I've been requested." Her tone was commanding, strong. They were subordinates, disposable, but an asset.

"Yes, ma'am. You may enter."

The hatch was opened and she stepped down into the darkness. Strips of lights on the floor illuminated her path once they detected her motion. She stepped forward, the darkness swallowing her as they closed the doors. Nino held her breath, placing one foot in front of the other. She realized what the coats were for. The bunker was freezing. Her damp skin felt cold when she stepped deeper in.

 _We are down to the last two._

She entered the hall just as the automatic lights flickered on. Nino pressed forward, hearing music playing at the end of the hall. It was likely where she was needing to go.

Nino walked past the cell she had been previously held in. Tested in. As she passed by the door she could hear the sound of the Target wailing. Men. They were taking turns.

 _That explains why so many have been down here... Focus, Nino. Report to Torrin._

The door opened and one of the guards had stepped out. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the target inside. She had been shackled and suspended by rope. Men surrounded her naked body.

"Down the hall, Miss Nino. This room is occupied. Men only." He snapped her eyes to attention.

"No." Nino shoved him aside, stepping inside.

 _This is wrong..._

The man inside the prisoner stopped, pulled out and turned to Nino. "You aren't allowed to be in here!"

 _Subordinate. Expendable..._

"Do you want to lose that?" Nino unsheathed her dagger, flicking it to the softening flesh. "This is not what we do to prisoners." She struck the rope, the woman falling to her bleeding knees. Nino watched her scramble to Nino's feet, wrapping her arms around them. Sticky white fluid covered most of her face and body.

"Please... you have to save me..."

 _Your orders were to report, not disrupt. Report to your Superior. Do not deviate._

The outspoken agent jumped close to Nino, pulling up his pants. "You're lucky it's not _you_ down here... I would've loved to have had a taste of that pus –" Nino snatched his fleshy appendage, gripping as she slammed him into the corner. She gripped the back of his head, slamming it face first. Screams erupted as he fell, crying.

"You want to taste it?" Nino tilted her head. "Perhaps you want to rethink that statement to a superior agent, subordinate..." She pressed the heel of her boot to his throat. Her voice was as steady as her foot.

"You fucking bitch... you broke my nose... " Snot dribbled out of his nose.

Nino turned to the rest, aiming her knife to the woman. "Give her a bucket of hot water and a rag. Clean clothes. Food and water. Leave her alone. As your superior, _I_ command it."

Nino watched as one of the newest recruits nodded, quickly leaving to do her bidding. She looked down to the SeeD Operative who had cornered herself against the wall, terrified. Their brown eyes peeked out from under red hair, shuddering.

"The rest of you leave. Now." She cocked her head behind her. "Take that _thing_ with you."

They did as she asked and Nino stood there, gripping the blade. She had no idea that it would work but it did.

"Kill me..."

Nino turned, her attention on the redhead. "You are not my target."

"KILL ME." The redhead stood, weeping. "KILL ME! KILL ME! KILL ME! JUST KILL ME YOU FUCKING BITCH–"

 _Target._

She had gripped onto Nino's arms and as calm as before, Nino sliced the blade across her throat. The Operative gave her a look of relief, pain, fear, all of these mixed into one. Nino crouched beside her as she fell, choking on the blood pouring out of her. She felt her body flinch when the Operative touched her hand.

 _Are you telling me "thank you?"_

Nino's gloved hand held the Operative's, her eyes never leaving hers until she was dead. She heard the bucket drop behind her. Water spilling. She stood, finding the two recruits. "She attacked me. I assessed and eliminated the threat."

She brushed past them, heading down the hall.

 _She was good. She was a good person before._

Nino stopped at the end of the hall, pounding twice on the steel door before opening it. A guard caught it by the hand and peered around the frame. When he saw it was Nino he smiled, inviting her inside.

"Just in time, I wanted to teach you something fun!" Torrin's voice was that of a child. She watched as he lifted the bench on top of a concrete slab on the floor. Setting it an an angle.

 _Strength. Focus._

"Another lesson?" Nino approached, stepping over a row of buckets. "I thought I already learned this one." She walked up, seeing that Torrin was being careful about his methods, a perfectionist as always. "Did you want to teach me again?"

 _You trust me, remember? You call me your Support, your favorite toy._

Torrin released a dark chuckle. "We have a guest coming. We had to switch tactics with this one. It appears our captive is a very strong-willed and spirited man. Has excellent control of his pain threshold."

"Any time with you will break him of that..." Nino spoke under her breath but before Torrin could respond the door swung open, two agents dragged in their unconscious prisoner. Her smile faded as she stepped aside. Something inside her felt like her chest pattered, thrummed the closer they brought him to Torrin. She touched her chest, feeling it stop.

"Here." Torrin gestured across the bench as he turned to count the rows of buckets filled with water. "This is our special case. He just won't give up..."

Nino could feel the suffocating feeling in her chest as she watched him set up the scene.

 _Is this how they did it to me?_

Nino's chest wanted to explode. She remembered ripping free, grabbing the gun and pulling the trigger. The ringing in her ears, the blood spraying her when she fell back, firing the gun. She remembered the blood as she sliced into the subordinate's neck.

 _He was going to say my name... he tried to say it but I killed him before he had the chance..._

Emotions were still fresh. She watched as they lifted the body onto the bench, using belts to strap him down. He wasn't naked like she was, but he was stripped down to the dark blue jeans he wore when they brought him to the Compound. The SeeD Operatives were smart to wear civilian clothing but they made the mistake of using the SeeD cabins. She looked to his head, unable to see the face hiding behind the hood.

"Is he from the group we collected?" The patter was starting back again. She was worried she was getting sick.

"Help them, make sure he's strapped in good and tight. It keeps them from moving too much." Nino knelt and did as Torrin commanded.

Nino couldn't control her hands from shaking. Her fingers brushed across the man's hand, watching the his fingers respond with a twitch. She listened to his ragged breath, he was going to wake soon. Her chest wouldn't stop pounding.

"Why are we torturing him?" She looked up at Torrin, who had pulled off his black ballistic shirt and was folding it into a square. He knelt down, positioning himself at the end of the bench where the prisoner's head was. "This isn't torture. Actual physical pain is torture. What we're doing today is... invoking an existing fear..." He gently placed a rag across the prisoner's hooded face.

"Why are we _invoking his fears_?" She wrapped her arms around her body, suddenly feeling an icy chill.

Torrin shrugged. "Well, we already know his name, we know he's from Garden, who he is isn't particularly hard to figure out either... I guess I just want to find out what he knows about us. But I'm pretty sure I have the answers for that too so... I suppose then this is just a hands-on training experience for you, dear." He flashed a smile at her. "It's _fun_."

 _Seifer used to wear a smile like that..._

"What is my job?"

Torrin smile grew wider. "Your eagerness amazes me more and more each day. I want you to stand over there in front of the lights. Ask him what he knows, and what he was doing. Keep the questions simple but be firm. If he doesn't answer – "

"I know. Your men did this to me, remember?" She shot a glare to the men holding down the fabric. She stood up, doing as she was commanded. "He won't die, right?"

"No, my sweet. He won't die, but he's about to feel like he is." Without hesitation, he began to trickle the water onto the fabric. It didn't take long for Nino to watch the body convulse and fight against the restraints. She watched his fists tighten and open, fighting to grab at anything he could. She listened to him release a gurgling scream, nails digging into the wood.

 _Did I thrash like that?_

Torrin finished a bucket and leaned back as the two men lifted the bench, eye level with Nino.

"Pull off the hood." Torrin instructed, gesturing.

A shaky hand ripped off the hood, her body reacted by pushing her backwards into the pillar behind her. Nino's jaw dropped as it all came back to her. She knew.

 _I know your face! I know who you are! You were a boy but I remember your eyes..._

The blonde man sucked in a breath of air, his head drooped and lifted straight back. He had just woke up to his nightmare. She watched him let out a gasping moan, his eyes slammed shut from the blinding lights behind her and slowly opened again, trying to focus on her.

"Ask him."

Nino's mind went blank. She didn't know what to do. Her hands dropped the hood onto the floor, her breath heavy.

 _Will you meet me here? You asked._

"Again."

 _I asked what your name was... and then..._

Torrin glared at Nino, shoving the shirt back onto the man's face. He lifted the bucket, "You _will_ ask the questions this time."

 _Your name was..._

"Nnn–!" She heard the captive protest before the water came back down on his face. His fists tightened as he tried to grip anything he could. A few seconds after Torrin backed away again, the men lifted him again, back at eye level.

His eyes were on her but he couldn't see her. He kept his head and eyes forward, his breathing came out as a throaty rumble.

"Ask him."

Nino couldn't. She trembled, watching how he coughed, searching the room. Water dripped and trickled down his face, down the tip of his pointed nose and chin. He fought against the restraints, the creak of the bench almost sounded like he would break it into pieces if given the chance. He was built for power.

"Again!"

"STOP!" Nino cried, watching as the captive fell back, this time holding his breath.

"That's only going to make it worse." Torrin lifted another bucket, pouring. He looked up to Nino. "Subordinate, You WILL ask him this time. I am commanding you to do this!"

Nino's eyes met Torrin's as he bared his teeth. The water spurted up and she heard the captive choke. His head thrashed, fighting to get away from the constant stream. His chest rose and fell, his shoulders rocked from side to side.

 _It'll be over soon. I promise._

She watched as he was raised again. He coughed, water came up and spilled down his chest. Torrin stood behind, he wrapped his fingers around his mouth, wrenching his head back, a blade to the side of his face. It pressed in deep, opening the skin a few inches across the tattoo that decorated the man's face. The blood mixed in with the water, quickly spreading down his neck.

"AGH!" He grunted, breathing hard.

"Maybe we should carve out his tattoo. It's a _nice_ tattoo. I _like_ it. I think I want to _keep_ it." She watched as the blonde forced out a muffled cry through his clenched teeth as the blade went deeper, his blue eyes shut tight. Torrin stepped back.

"Ask him."

Nino did as she was commanded without hesitation, "What do you know about us?" Nino sucked in a breath, waiting for his response.

"I'm next aren't I?" The tattooed blonde spit the water from his mouth his voice was raspy, rough. He shivered, water still trickling from his lips. "Yeah, you've run out of options if you're using this to get your answers." He let out a weak laugh, his body jerked like a beating heart. "After this I'm gonna get to be on TV, right?" He looked right at her, expecting an answer. "Just like the rest... you sick fucks..."

They dropped him back down. Torrin's eyes flashed her a dose of his insanity as he opened the tattooed blonde's mouth. He wouldn't budge. "Open it or I'll break your jaw." Nino watched as Torrin stuffed the shirt down his throat, holding it in place. "With the mouth open, it'll be harder for him to control his breathing. He could _die_ , sweetling." Torrin's tone was that of a parent teaching a child. He collected the hood, covering the face again. Nino's hands went to her head, clutching handfuls of her own hair. "You seem to like him! Should I be jealous?!"

 _Just do something. Make something up! MAKE IT STOP!_

Another bucket. She planted her feet and the moment the hood came off she ripped the shirt out of his mouth and slapped him hard across his face. The blonde coughed out the water in his lungs, his body shuddering as he kept his eyes to the floor. Nino snatched a handful of his hair, her other hand reached for her dagger.

"Your name is Zell Dincht. You are an Operative for Balamb Garden. You have information on the Syndicate. What do you know?"

"Go to fuckin' hell..." Zell's hitched gasps could barely form the words. She hit him again, harder. She gripped another handful of hair, slamming his head back and holding the dagger against his adams apple. She got closer.

"Your mother lives in Balamb. It's a nice little town. Maybe we should retrieve her, bring her in, yeah? We could tie you up over there and we'll make you watch what we do to her. You know your pretty little red headed squadmate? She's getting the rounds done on her right now. Yeah, it's a long line for her...you know, you're a pretty guy, we've got a few Agents who wouldn't mind doing the same to you..."

Zell looked up at Nino in a white hot rage. The face she remembered him once having, the usual cheerful, friendly smile was replaced with desperation, anger, rage, fury, darkness. It blended away into sadness as Zell shook his head at a tilt, the tension in his body caused him to involuntarily spasm. She was getting to him – finally it can end.

"Yeah, maybe I should go in there and teach _her_ a few things. Maybe we should let you watch as my guys take turns fucking her." Nino watched his reactions, knowing he heard her clearly. "Maybe you didn't hear me the first time, so I'm asking again, except if you don't tell me what I need?" She pressed the blade to his throat. "I'm going to start slicing pieces of you and sending them to your friends in Balamb. Got it, _Chicken-Wuss?_ "

"Nnngh..." Zell bared his teeth, his eyes to the floor. He slammed his head to the back of the board several times before dropping it back down. Nino nearly broke her concentration. His longer canine teeth reminded Nino of her own. His breaths came out as a low growl.

"Your name is Zell Dincht. You work for Balamb Garden. You have information on the Syndicate now what do you know?"

She watched the words form on his lips. It was silent, barely there. She leaned in close, her ear to his lips.

"D-do what you're gon...na do..." He shuddered, the tone in his weakened voice promised retaliation. "Y-you want me to t-talk?" He shook his head, proud. "A-ain't g-g-onn-a hap-pen...we're going to f-f-f-find you and when we do... you're gonna regret... every... last..." His head dropped, he fell unconscious.

Torrin motioned for the bench to be brought back down. He started unbuckling the belts, pushing Zell's unconscious body onto the ground. "Leave us." Torrin didn't wait until the door was closed until he was on top of Nino, pushing her to the table across the room.

"You've been such a good little school girl. I want to show you what happens to good girls..." He hissed into her ear, tearing her shirt open. "We've waited long enough haven't we? You feel the same for me don't you? Don't you, sweetling?"

Nino felt the panic rising in her body. Something called to her to fight. She broke free from his hands and reached for the dagger. Her fingers gripped around the leather handle, tight. In one quick swoop the blade sang.

Torrin stumbled back. He reached a hand up to his neck, feeling the blood. A tiny cut. Deep enough to bleed, not enough to kill. She wasn't as fast as him.

Quicker than she could react, he grabbed her wrists and spun her back around to the table. He was too strong to fight. "Really, now? Oh. I see. You want to be a bad girl?" He held her neck tight and forced her down onto the table. "I can play that game. It's my favorite! Let me show you how bad girls get treated!"

Nino felt her hands being held behind her back. Her chest began to pound, tears flowing from her eyes. She couldn't move, she couldn't attack. Her body felt heavy. She remembered being beaten within an inch of her life. The water trickling down her nose, her body suspended, arms back, drowning, panic. Nino cowered, whimpering as she caught a flash of a memory.

 _From before..._

She was dragged into her father's office and thrown to the floor. She held her belly. The belly must stay safe. He stood over her, his boot went to her ribs. Another blow, and another. "Take her." Pain, searing pain as they dragged her outside, out to the courtyard, across the white pebbles and into the bunker. Blood. Blood on the pebbles. The red shirt was torn from her, laying on the ground as she was beaten by her father. "You will never see him again." It was when it all started. When her new life with Syndicate had begun.

Torrin's voice brought her back as her hands and legs swung and kicked. "Go ahead, fight. Struggle. Show me how you fight...I LOVE it when they fight!"

"PLEASE! NO!" Nino cried out, feeling a hand going to the front of her pants. He pulled her belt off, quickly wrapping it around her throat, pulling back hard.

 _No more..._

"Apparently you didn't learn. _Apparently_ , you need to be taught again. Corrected. Tonight's lesson is on _obedience._ " Torrin held her neck and with all of his strength, and sent her back down into the table's surface. He pressed his hand to her back as the belt strained against her throat. She felt her pulse, lights flashed in her eyes as her heartbeat slowed, her vision blurring and dimming. Nino opened her eyes the moment she felt the weight of Torrin's presence vanish. She looked concrete wall, watching the shadows on the wall dance. Her cheeks felt hot, the belt had constricted her breathing. Her mind drifted and she thought she was floating, the world spinning around her.

Nino's head bounced as it felt the floor. She could feel hands ripping away the belt and restoring her airway. She drew in a gulp of air, wheezing as she tried to focus her vision. She saw the wet blonde hair in his eyes, the tattoo still bleeding, a fresh bloody nose and a cut on his chest.

"WHERE? ANSWER ME!"

 _Targ...no... Zell..._

She blinked, feeling as Zell's hands lifted her to a sitting position, shaking her violently. She felt the sting of a slap across her face. For a moment she had forgotten where she was. Her hands moved up to his. He reeled back for a another – reeling her to the floor, crying out as her cheek burned. She scrambled away as Zell took a powerful step towards her. His fists were hard as stone. "Stop!" Nino reached up, catching the blow in her hands. She stared into his sky blue eyes. Her eyes darted around the room, her pulse quickened.

Torrin was on the ground, he was unconscious. She looked to Zell, awestruck.

 _You stopped him... you could stop him. Help me... Help me escape!_

"We...I..." The words wouldn't form. She gripped tight. "Help. Me. Esc–" She screamed, frustrated with her mind.

 _If you escape they will find you. You are subordinate. He is your superior. Execute the target. You are syndicate. Execute. Target. If you escape Syndicate will catch you._

"You have five seconds before I break your neck!"

 _They always will. They always do._

The programmed voice of her subconscious screamed at her as she fought against it. This was her chance. Her one single chance to escape. She needed to tell him the truth, of everything. Get him to bring her along.

"Help you?!" He kicked her back to the wall, her face was red, already forming a bruise.

"Guards... they..." She looked back to Torrin, something reacting within her she had forgotten. "Guards. They are there. Out there." She put her fingers to her lips, "We have to be quiet or they will h-hear you..."

 _Are you a friend or foe?_

Zell let her go, backing away. He rubbed his head, looking around the room for his escape. "Fuck!" He repeated over and over. "Does this place only have one exit?"

Nino shook her head, pulling herself up to her feet and collapsing. Her legs seemed to have gone numb. She pointed to the door behind Zell, it had led to an underground tunnel beneath the compound. "I leads into Roshfall... take me. With you, please."

"Why the fuck would I do that?" Zell looked as if he was going to pummel her into the ground.

Nino's green eyes shot to Torrin. Still unconscious. She looked back to Zell. "You're... you're good. But we have to hurry. If he wakes up he will kill us both. I want to help you, I have information I can give you." She flinched as Zell grabbed her throat, slamming her against the wall.

"Give me the information." She felt Zell's fingers clench, crushing her windpipe. He was ready to beat it out of her.

 _Why can't I... attack?!_

"We have plants...the Garden... they've already infiltrated Gal...badia –" Zell's grip released and she fell to the floor, taking in jagged breaths. He grabbed her by the back of her jacket, dragging her to the bench. She watched as he snatched the belts they had used to restrain him, binding them around her wrists. He stood, yanking her upright again and pulled her to the exit. Nino gestured to the folded ballistic shirt on the stool in the corner. "Take it. Protection." She shuddered, her heart was pulsing in her ears again, the patter growing in her chest.

"You scream? You try to fuck with me and I'll show you real pain." Zell snatched it up, taking one last look around before pulling her into the portcullis. "Let's move."


	8. Fired

Irvine broke the silence by stepping away from his desk and opening the door to his liquor cabinet. He poured two glasses, one for himself and one for Squall.

Squall sat with his head between his legs, hand on forehead. He hadn't even noticed Irvine had offered him a drink until he felt the gentle nudge of the glass on his hand.

"There's plenty more where that came from." Irvine said quietly, taking a sip of the aged whiskey.

Squall lifted his throbbing head. He felt almost as if he was too tired to put the glass to his lips. Ignoring his exhaustion, he tossed back the drink, shaking his head as he forced it down. He exhaled, loudly.

"Here." Irvine was at the ready with the bottle. He poured another.

Squall knocked the second back, snatching the bottle from Irvine's hand. "I'll buy you another bottle."

Irvine chuckled solemnly. "Brother, I don't think you realize exactly how well stocked my liquor cabinet really is. Any time Councilwoman Peylt shows up, she brings me a new bottle..."

"How did this happen?" Squall ran his thumb across the edge of the glass, staring into the amber liquid before swallowing it in one gulp. "The bodies, Irvine. Did you know we found a site that uncovered a mass grave? Looks like we found the bodies that were on that train and... did you know the Galbadian government doesn't want to cover the expense of an investigation on the SeeD operatives? They are too concerned about the civilians. Our lives? _Expendable._ The compound was swept clean. We found _nothing._ The bodies of my operatives were found. Zell... I don't know where he is. He could be there, I don't know." His words slurred as he poured another glass. "They could have him. We're probably missing his execution right now. You know they'll... likely have him... there on the television. Let's hope Alisa doesn't watch her 'Uncle Zell' get his throat cut on live tv–" Squall curled his lips as he shook his head. He couldn't bare to have to handle explaining any of this to his daughter, let alone everyone else at Garden.

Once he heard the news of the compound being scrubbed, he returned to Galbadia. Irvine was there to keep him company until his departure.

"It's... I don't even have the words, man." Irvine took a sip. "Where did these people even come from?"

Squall threw his arms out. "I have no _fuckin'_ idea." He stood, stumbling back and heading to the liquor cabinet. "All I know, is that my Operatives are all dead, and I really, _really_ suck at my job." He shot the drink back. His nose was feeling numb. "I'm High Commander for a month and look what happened..." He threw his arms out again, "Ev'rything gone to hell..."

Irvine snorted, grabbing Squall and escorting him back to the couch. "I think you need to unwind. Just sit there, I'll play bartender today."

"I really didn't want to take this job. I didn't even want it when I was seventeen but I did it. I wasn't happy but at least I wasn't drowning...in whiskey. Because y'know, I suck." Squall slumped into the seat, chasing back another shot. "And Seifer..."

Irvine leaned forward, pouring him a drink. "Yeah, tell me about him..."

"He thinks I'm gonna release him." Another shot, another groan. "You know, he got away with _so much_..." Squall ran his fingers through his hair. "He can just...to go hell..."

"Yeah, but you did promise him you'd try right?"

"So?" Squall's eyes seemed to have a hard time on focusing. "He's an asshole who... dares to push guilt on me. I didn't answer his fucking calls because I didn't want to get involved, I never wanted to _see_ Seifer Almasy again. We gave him the a chance at a second life. We pardoned him for his crimes when he stood with Ultimecia – what more did he expect?! He couldn't have expected us to drop everything for him..." Squall wasn't finished, once he trailed off he started back up all over again. "And to top it all off, Seifer got pissed and started calling me 'entitled,' he thinks I have had everything handed to me..." He lunged forward, swinging his glass to the bottle. "I've had to _work_ for everything! I fought to get where I am at!"

"Yeah, except that you didn't – not with everything. I remember Cid and Matron giving you preferential treatment from back when we were kids. It's like the whole Ultimecia thing set you up for you to get quite a bit handed to you. Not everything, but quite a bit."

"That's bullshit."

"Not really, I mean, from what I read up on, he shoulda been a SeeD but wasn't. Xu railroaded him hard and wouldn't let up. Any tiny mistake? Pow! Fail. Misstep? Pow! Instant fail. Me? I fucked up more times than I should have on my Exams – hell, Squall I was drunk when I took my exam and I _still_ passed. You passed too, easy, no problems. His final exam was higher than yours because he took initiative, he had the best scores out of everybody in your class."

Irvine lunged forward, pointing his glass to Squall. He had obviously given Seifer a lot of thought. "I don't think... we ever fully realized how intelligent Seifer Almasy actually is. Did you know about him traveling during your summer breaks? The man was cultured, _refined,_ even. And he coulda been just as good as the rest of us but Xu? She had a vendetta on him and made sure to fail him every chance she got." Irvine shrugged. "That's enough for me to want to lose _my_ shit and follow a sorceress so _my_ dreams can come true. And whatever happened 'tween him and Caraway? Hyne only knows... Hell, I wanna shoot that pompous sucker right 'tween the eyes when he shows up 'round here." Irvine's twang seemed to come out the more he drank.

"Yeah well... you can try to shoot him, you'll probably fail too."

"You know I was the one who shot Seifer..." Irvine shook his head, loosening his tie. "To this day I don't think he did it. The gunshot residue found on his clothes wasn't substantial enough for me to believe it. No trace of it on his hands either... I mean he coulda prolly used gloves but the whole thing has just... it just didn't seem right. _Something_ happened. I think Seifer was going over there to talk with him and Caraway had other plans that backfired." He sipped, "The look in his eyes that night, he was... it was like he was mournin'. Y'know? Like someone died."

"Fuck man, whose side are you on, Irvine?!" Squall seemed to have been getting angry. He watched Irvine shrug again, leaning back in his seat and crossing his legs. He had the bottle resting in his lap.

"I'm on everyone's side. Seifer's still one of us, even if he is an asshole...and what do you think Matron would say? Here, have another." Irvine leaned over, pouring another shot. Squall had drank so many he lost count. "She'd want us to do what we can. I'm surprised she hasn't asked already."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Half of his drink spilled down his front. He brushed the liquid off onto the floor, his shirt reeked of alcohol. "What would you do since you're such a _much better_ Commander than I am?"

"Ookay..." Irvine reached in his pocket and grabbed his silver tin containing cigarettes. He lit one up, exhaling the smoke. He loved a good whiskey and smoke. "You could release him into your custody. That's a good start. I'd like to believe he'd be more privy to giving you information than you going in there and demanding it. We have a guy here who is released in our custody for an operation we've got going down in Lollapalooza."

Squall's neck hurt. He sat up, his arms crossed over his shoulders, glass in hand. "I don't know... what if he doesn't have information about the Syndicate? Hm? What if he's making it out like he does but actually doesn't? What if he already gave me what he knew?"

Irvine flicked the ash into the ashtray on the table. "You know that I'll release any intel we gather, but obviously Galbadia isn't going to." It was Irvine's turn to shoot his drink, immediately pouring himself his second. "What have you got to lose?"

"My wife! Er, ex-wife. Yeah, it's my _ex-wife_ that _hates_ me." He slurped on his drink. "She'll hate me even more if I release Seifer to Garden. But I know that _she_ will probably love me for it."

"You mean Rinoa?"

"Who?!" Squall's voice cracked.

"I think we're going to take a break from the whiskey..." Irvine sat across from Squall, still enjoying his first drink. "You're pretty lit up."

Squall rolled the glass in his palms. His cheeks were flushed, his nose red. "Rinoa REALLY hates her." He groaned, leaning forward. "You know, I shouldn't have ever gotten involved in all of that." His drunk speak was becoming more incoherent. "I can't stop thinking about her, Irvine. I think I chose the wrong woman..."

Irvine leaned forward to give Squall a gentle push back into the couch. He reached for the glass, setting it on the oak coffee table in the center of his office. "How so?"

"Quistis... _sssheaneye_..." Squall closed his eyes. " _She_ and _I_..." Squall's head was swimming. He kept thinking of that night, bending her over her desk. Tearing off each others clothes. It felt so primal, so real. Squall yanked himself upright, reaching for his phone.

"Oh! Hey, Squall! No, no, no... Squall, buddy, we're going to leave drunk phone calls out of this party." Irvine reached for the phone, unsuccessfully grabbing it from Squall.

"I need to take a phone call."

"Your phone ain't ringin', buddy." Irvine jumped up, taking Squall's hand and sliding the phone out of his grip. Squall looked down at the phone in Irvine's hand, falling backwards into the couch. It almost seemed unfathomable that he would get this drunk so quickly. "What do I do?" He threw his arms over his eyes, feeling nauseous.

"Well, you ain't exactly going to be able to do anything about it right now." Irvine pulled his hair back into a bun and leaned over, propping Squall's legs up onto the couch, pulling his shoes off and tossing them onto the floor.

Squall mumbled incoherently, wrapping his arms around his chest and shifting his body into a more comfortable position. He groaned, pressing his head into the back cushioning of the couch.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it, bud. You go on ahead and sleep it off. You've got a train to catch in about six hours..." Irvine walked to the coat closet and brought out a blanket, draping it over Squall's body. He lifted the empty bottle, setting it on his desk before stepping outside. He closed the door to the balcony that overlooked the rest of Garden.

The phone in Irvine's hand lit up as his thumbs navigated to the contact he sought.

" _This is Quistis."_

"He's out. Won't be awake for quite a bit. Good idea on the Whiskey by the way... Anyway, if you're going to do anything on 'his behalf' now would be a good time." He sipped the drink, glancing inside at the sleeping body on his couch. "He's definitely not going anywhere... or taking any calls."

" _What do you think he's going to do when he wakes up?"_

"Oh, you just let me handle that, babe. He won't be happy but he'll get over it. You focus on getting in touch with the D-District and have that doctor on the phone 'fore he leaves his office." Irvine extinguished his cigarette. "Make sure that _if_ Zell isn't... you know..."

" _Yeah... I know."_ There was a long pause.

"We'll find him, Quisty. Seifer will help us find him." Irvine smiled sadly. "I'll make a couple calls to help."

Irvine lit another cigarette, inhaling deeply as he dialed another number from Squall's phone. He cleared his throat and made a deep noise as he adjusted his throat.

"Justice Rupert Menelaus, please... " Irvine deepened his voice, making it low and flat. "Justice... this is High Commander Squall Leonhart of the SeeD Collective how are you doing today? I am filing a 337 Injunction on D-District. Yes, sir. My Executive Assistant has already made contact..."

Irvine smirked, nodding his head. "Yes, sir. I do understand. Er, immediately if that's possible..." He took a sip. "That's not necessary, sir. I will be sending my own people for extraction. Makes it easier when I _file_ my paperwork." He let his accent slip but it made no difference – the filing had already started. "Excellent, thank you very much sir."

–

Squall couldn't believe what he was hearing as Quistis stood in his office, her blue eyes were glued to the floor. "So... you suggested to Irvine to get me drunk... steal my phone... _impersonate me...and_ filed a _337_ Injunction on behalf of Garden's Administration under _my_ name..."

Quistis nodded slowly, cautiously looking up to meet his gaze. "Irvine insisted on helping, if we're going to be fair about this..."

"You went over my head."

She bowed her head low in respect to Squall. "I know."

"You got another Garden Officer involved... you –" The whole thing seemed like insanity. "What are we supposed to do now? Do you realize that you've basically filed a motion to pardon Seifer for his crimes? So what happens when he gets out and kills someone else? You DO realize that he wants to kill Caraway _still._ " Squall stood, shaking his head. "Just... Why?"

"Matron called me the day she saw Zell on the broadcasts. She asked me to do everything I could. We talked about Seifer... she said that she knew he would have the answers. She... asked that if you didn't show any inclination to stop Seifer's execution from being carried out, that I would go ahead and do so." Squall watched as she wiped a tear away. "I authorized the release in your name because he's one of _us_ , Squall."

Squall rubbed his forehead, the hint of the migraine coming on had arrived uninvited. He couldn't think straight. He stood, turning to look out the window.

"Zell is still out there. I know he is. We haven't heard anything from him but I have to believe this will save him!"

"What if Seifer doesn't give us the information? What he gave us was an empty compound and the dead bodies of our comrades. That didn't prove anything to me."

"Maybe it's selfish, but maybe I also wanted to try to save both of them." She dismissed herself, turning and walking toward the door.

He couldn't stop himself from saying it. The words came out like a reaction, an impulse. "You're fired."

"What?!" Quistis spun around, her expression showed shock, as if she had been slapped across the face.

Squall walked toward her as he spoke with his calm, cold gaze on her. "I didn't know what I was thinking when I took this job but obviously your liberal interpretation of the way I do things and your complete disregard for rank seems to be beyond my comprehension." He swallowed.

"Squall, don't do this –"

"I could have you detained for the manipulation of an Officer of higher ranking, not to mention acting on my behalf when you clearly did not. Instead I am giving you two weeks. Two weeks, Quistis and then I never want to see you again. I am stripping you of your title as Executive Assistant to this Garden and as an Operative of the SeeD Collective. In two weeks time if you are not gone, I will have you arrested and tried for treason."

Quistis' eyes gave away that she didn't regret her actions. Her hand as it slapped him across the face proved that he got his point across to her. She sobbed. Her fists flying to his chest. Squall held her wrists at bay, it wasn't difficult to overpower her. He pushed her from him and forcefully opened the door. "You have been dismissed."

Quistis' face was red with fury. "You can't do this. This is my home. Garden means everything to me. Squall –" He kept his eyes from looking at her, feeling the gaze of everyone who had been waiting in the lobby. Whispers crept into his ears, judging him, doubting him.

Quistis folded her arms around her with a hand pressed to her mouth. She pushed past him, her head low as she openly wept. Squall slammed the doors before he could see her make it to the elevators. Feeling the rage spill over him, his fist balled up and slammed into the marble slab that surrounded the doors. He groaned, the sharp spikes of pain shooting up his arm. Had everyone lost their minds? Was everyone against him? Squall struggled to think, staggering to the seats in the center of the office.

He winced in pain, inspecting his hand. The damage was already done. Squall was certain he had fractured his hand. He attempted to ball it into a fist, unable to control his shaking. Squall would have given anything to get to hold his daughter. He imagined she would have kissed his hand, then scolded him for hurting the wall. She would have sang a song, likely from _Pupurun's Great Adventure_ , something about friendship and love. Squall would have scooped her into his arms, holding her tight.

Instead, he sat alone in the empty office, the sun peeking through the clouds as it settled.

The High Commander's position was too much to handle. He was in charge of everything, of everyone. With 5 SeeD operatives dead and one missing, he felt the sharp pangs of guilt. He had dispatched them on their mission. Squall reflected on when they had left. The way Zell had treated it like the mission wouldn't be chancy. He saw Zell a week later when Xu was being executed. On his knees, bound, gagged, beaten and afraid but strong. Somehow Zell was still strong through it.

That morning, Squall had finished his morning shower, his freshly pressed dress pants hanging loose at his hips. The belt hung on the chair by the door with his dry cleaned dark blue dress shirt, still fresh in the plastic. It was the one that Quistis had chosen for him. The press conference about the Trabian Incident was that morning, and he needed to look smart for the cameras. The razor was still to his neck when he heard the gasps and cries.

"Squall!"

"Daddy!?"

The razor dropped into the sink when he heard the screams. She rushed toward him, pressing her face into his stomach crying. On the screen he heard the muffled cries of the SeeD operatives – _his_ SeeD operatives. He watched as the camera zoomed into Xu's convulsing body as she bled.

 _Don't look. Don't see._

" _Witness us now, as we will be the arrow on the doorpost. Witness as we purge the false governments from our steps... we will lead you into the new revolution. A new power is coming. The winds of a new age are rising up and you will see us as gods among men!"_

Squall held his daughter tight. He looked to Rinoa, her face in a state of denial.

" _We will start by pushing the false government from our home. SeeD is not the authority they want you to believe they are. SeeD has served it's purpose and now it is time for Harvest. SeeD has no purpose in our world any longer. They are mercenaries hired in exchange for coin. And with the new power that we will bring forth, it will be us will saves you from their terror."_ The delusional ramblings of their leader shook Squall to the core. He watched as he pointed to Squall through the screen. _"Witness this."_

"Uncle Zell, Daddy! I saw him! Why was he on the television? Daddy he looked like he was hurt! You have to save him!"

Squall rubbed his hand, lifting his gaze from the bruising when he heard his heavy office door open. Ryzia stepped inside, her hands carrying a hot cup of tea.

"Sir? Galbadian Justice Menelaus is on the phone for you, he needed your final say in the injunction for Seifer Almasy?" She looked down to his bruised hand. "Sir?!"

The High Commander stood, nodding to Ryzia as he approached his desk. He held his hand close to his chest. "Get me a med kit, please."

"Is it true? Is Ms. Trepe really fired?"

Squall sat at his desk, his hand pulsed with pain. He looked at the skyline that surrounded his office. The pink hues spilling in, the sun was setting.

 _Seifer's execution is tomorrow morning._

Squall remembered his daughter's pleas. He couldn't get Zell out of his mind. He couldn't stop feeling the guilt of the five bodies that were brought back in black body bags. Seifer Almasy's life was the least of his concerns.

But he could give him the information they need. That thought continued to fade back into Squall's mind.

With his left hand, he lifted the phone, composure taking more energy than he had. "Justice Menelaus, thank you for calling me..."


	9. Into the Void

**Note: Adult Content Warning**

* * *

 _Nothing more beautiful..._

He looked down, his hand on her waist as it moved to her belly. He felt the warmth, the firmness. Seifer curled up against her, feeling her shift her body to be closer to him. She leaned back, resting her head on his arm, putting her hand on his.

"It's happening again." He could hear her smile.

Seifer smiled back, eyes closed.

"Can you feel her?" Nino's hands guided his to the bottom of her belly and pressed firmly. Their smiles grew wider.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"We need a name." Nino looked to him, her green eyes almost black in the moonlight.

"We need a baby first. Can't name her until we meet her." He leaned in, kissing her ear. He did love the name Elia. He had always been drawn to it, like a memory tied to him.

Seifer breathed in her scent. Magnolias and sweet honeysuckle. He had it memorized, captivated by it.

They came for him in the night.

His eyes had opened before his body was able to wake. He felt the four guards that surrounded his bed, shackling his wrists, his ankles. They jerked him up, giving him no time to process what was happening.

Harvill took lead, keeping his eyes straight forward as the guards surrounded Seifer. The chains on his ankles dragged, cutting into his heels and limiting his movement. The marching of the guards echoed through the ward. "Let's move." Harvill jerked the chains forward. What was happening?

"Is this how it's done? Is this my execution? I still have a day..." Seifer spoke between breaths. The halls of the prison were freezing at night. The spires had been moved underground it seemed. He looked up to the vents. They had been sealed shut. All that was up there was darkness.

The guards didn't speak until they were in the elevator.

Seifer stood next to the guard who was watching at his commanding officer, nervous. "He's gone too far – Sir, this doesn't seem right..."

"SHUT IT." Harvill turned to shove one of the guards against the wall. "It isn't our problem."

The young guard looked to Seifer, his expression was clearly that of terror. Seifer watched as the guard quietly dropped the chain, stepping away.

"Is this an execution or a release?" Seifer asked Harvill – his face wore a stone cold expression but he could see a tinge of anxiety on the officer's face. "Hey! Where are we going?!"

The butt of a gun smacked Seifer square in the temple. If the guards hadn't caught him, he would have collapsed. Flashes of light flicked in his eyes as he felt his feet dragging along. The chains rattled as they caught on the elevator grate. Seifer's head turned to the room they had always used for the exams. Frantic nurses worked fast to cover the bodies of two of the patients. Their bodies were contorted into inhuman positions, bones broken, bullet holes in their foreheads.

The blonde woman was there, knelt beside one of the bodies. Her gun pressed against a temple as she pulled the trigger. "Duds. All of them."

Her eyes went to Seifer as she walked past them, her expression was blank, her body calm as she walked down the hall..

Seifer fought the restraints, struggling with getting out of the hold the guards maintained. He looked onward to their destination, watching Creswell hurriedly motioning for them to bring Seifer to him. His body jolted when he heard a single gunshot inside the room they were going to. Everything was moving so fast.

This wasn't an execution or a release. Squall wasn't coming. This was his end.

The brain spatter was the first thing he noticed in the concrete room. He looked down to see one of the inmates he had sat by during the exams. Patient W. His body was lifeless, the large boils and sores that covered his body oozed a strange fiery orange liquid. Bullet between the eyes.

Seifer planted his feet trying to stop himself from being pulled further. He felt the guard behind him lift the chain that connected his ankles together. He thrashed, fighting as they sat him beside Patient Z's corpse. The blonde woman had been and gone. His fists went swinging until they hit him again with the gun and his body went limp. The guards restrained his feet and arms, looping the chains through the steel loops that had been bolted into the floor.

"We don't have much time! Let's get the catalyst and bring it here. We need those bodies covered. We don't want to show them our failures." He could hear a woman's voice, powerful, demanding.

Seifer had a hard time deciphering who was speaking. He opened his eyes, his head throbbed, feeling the blood slowly trickle through his hair.

"This works out much better. They completely tear up the beds before the first round is over. At least this way you can loosen the chains a bit if the subject gets unstable." Creswell scribbled into his chart.

I have direct orders from above that we document this one." He couldn't see the face but he knew it was the woman. The executioner with the gun.

As he regained his consciousness he could feel the chains pull tighter, stretching his arms and legs. His right shoulder throbbed, shooting pain that forced him to draw in a quick breath. The wound, the reminder of how he ended up lying there on that floor.

Seifer let out a throaty growl, feeling the large needle stick into his arm. The needle connected to a tube that trailed off behind the nurse. His head craned up to the back wall, watching that the line was connected to a device that was rolled in and shrouded by a white sheet. Seifer reached for something to grab, finding the chains that held him down.

Creswell stepped back inside, this time without his blonde colleague. He stood over Seifer and examined him, words formed but Seifer couldn't hear them. The tweed jacket the doctor had often wore was missing. He was a mess his sleeves hastily rolled up, sweat stained his clothes. "C'mon, we need to hurry!"

Seifer watched as Creswell focused himself. He looked to the camera, he sounded nervous as he spoke. "This is Dr. Nilson Creswell. I am the Chief researcher on Project Guardian." Creswell patted his brow with a clean rag. "My colleagues and I have dedicated our lives to designing a weapon – a powerful weapon that will revolutionize and shape our world."

Seifer focused his gaze. "A what?!"

"Through our research in Alnaj, we devised a revolutionary method to permanently control and harness independent energy force. Unfortunately our time has been cut short due to... complications. Our success rate... well, our success rate won't matter because this is where I will have shown you the birth of a God."

"You're insane..." Seifer shot his gaze to the corpse beside him. It had been covered with a black sheet. "That doesn't look like a God to me, doctor. This is insanity. Have you lost your mind?!"

"Each of our candidates are of different origins. Our genealogists and biologists both had theories about a common bond between our own genetics and the energy we captured based on the location of origin. Project X, our primary focus, is of Centran origin, specifically we found traces of DNA that dates his origin back to the Alnajii clans of ancient Centran civilizations, therefore we have paired him with an energy that was generously donated to us by one of our backers. Creswell gestured to Seifer. "We are confident that once you see the results of this amazing power, with your donations, you can join us as we begin a new world."

Seifer forcefully exhaled through his nose, his eyes followed everyone in the room. The nurse he tracked pulled the white sheet off of the hidden device. Seifer's eyes darted to the back wall, looking at the large glass tubes in the center of the device. The tubes contained a form of black fluid that seemed to have been pulsing, alive.

"I will begin now by administering the first segment into Patient X," Creswell's hand rested on the switch. "We are very confident that our results will prove to be fruitful."

Seifer didn't have time to react when he heard the click and hum of the plunger pushing the liquid through the rubber tube. He followed the black liquid as it raced to his arm and vanishing into his veins. Seifer had never known fear until he watched as the veins in his inner arm darken. The thick substance was inside of him.

For the first few seconds all he felt was a tingle, a warmth flushed into his body. The feeling didn't linger as the tingling quickly shifted to a burning sensation. Seifer groaned, it had been a while since he felt real pain. He involuntarily pulled his knees and torso together, the chains loosened and then quickly tightened back again. It had begun to feel like long, sharp claws were dragging along his organs. Creeping, traveling, boiling... surging up into his brain.

A flash of burning forced him to cry out. Everywhere that he had felt the sharp fingers the feeling had brought a sensation like something was searing him from within. Seifer cried out again, the pain unbearable. He had never experienced anything like it before.

Seifer felt every nerve in his body being electrocuted. Tears streaked his face as he twisted, trying desperately to crawl away from the pain. His eyes opened, barely able to make out that he was only finished with the second tube. He begged, pleaded for it to stop through punctuated ragged breaths. The burning, the fire, the searing pain – he couldn't wait for it all to end. Seifer pleaded for the blonde woman to shoot him right there. He had never wanted death to come so soon. His body jerked and slid mindlessly as he clenched his jaw, tight enough to nearly shatter his own teeth.

He could feel his wrists and ankles were bloodied, the metal shackles had cut into him. The guards had kept firm on their restraints. Seifer watched them disappear into a fuzzy haze of pain. Searing, blinding pain. He slammed his head into the concrete, he had to make it stop.

Another slam as the burst of pain racked his body. He could feel the guards loosened the chains. He writhed across the floor, the chains tangling around him, surrounding him. His body curled into a ball as he felt the claws again, it was like they were peeling off his skin, searing his nerves. Seifer could feel it stripping away the pieces that made him fearless, courageous, brave. His head felt like he was trapped in a vice. The final dose was pushing its way inside his body. He felt his body curl tight, his back arching inward, lifting him in the air. His spine felt like it was going to give in and snap at any moment. His heart felt as though it was going to explode out of his chest.

Seifer felt something blocking his throat as he sucked in a hitching breath, his body convulsing, tears streaming down his face. There was something inside of him, reaching in his throat and body, crushing every organ, his chest, his heart, his brain.

His eyes opened a final time before everything disappeared into a blinding light, he was weightless as if he had slipped underwater. The choking, the energy within stole the air from any breaths he took. He could feel the energy sifting through his memories, filling the gaps, building to old ones. Seifer could see them in the back of his mind. Quick, fast shocks of new information. He heard himself thinking in a language that he had never known. It sounded dead, ancient, curious.

It was only a moment but it was like a switch had turned off everything that he was feeling. In his mind he knew it as Death, the black void. He had tried to visit it once before but it seemed to finally claim him. The void was calm, quiet. His body relaxed as he floated in the nothingness. He was ready for sleep. He welcomed it's embrace. It's warm shadow cast itself on Seifer, surrounding him.

He felt no pain but the charge of electricity shoot through his body. His arms flailed weightless with each jolt, the shocks rippling out of his body.

A brilliant light flared into his vision as his eyes opened. Seifer squinted at the light, his hands reaching out, his fingers landing onto his face as he pulled off the oxygen mask under his nose.

Barely conscious, Seifer reached for it the mask again, confused. A hand stopped him a second time as his surroundings came into focus.

 _I'm alive…?_

"Easy, lay still." He wasn't sure who the sweet voice belonged to. He felt cold, as if someone had pulled him from the depths of the deep Trabian ocean.

He waited until his eyes had adjusted before he tried to open them again. Seifer watched as Dr. Kadowaki reached for his hand, holding it tight to his chest. He drew a blank, confused. What was she doing here?

Seifer made a sound at the back of his throat, trying to speak. His mouth felt dry, his throat raw. "Where—"

"Don't speak just yet. Relax and stay calm. You're in Winhill." She spoke in small sentences, making sure he was able to hear her. "This is my practice."

Seifer eyes went to the window above his head. The sunlight. His hand went up, feeling relief as his skin drank in the warmth. He wanted to cry. Dr. Kadowaki brought his hand back down, gently.

"You've been very sick. I'm getting you better before we send you to Balamb." The greying woman smiled as she squeezed the bag of saline connected to Seifer's IV. He watched as she pulled out a syringe, injecting it into the line inserted in his hand. He glanced down, seeing his wrists doctored and wrapped in clean white bandages. His memory was still foggy, flits came back, making him want to run. He tried to sit up, his chest pushed back by the doctor. "You need to not exhaust your body. You're safe." He felt her cool touch as she brushed a hand across his forehead. "They won't be pleased, but I would like to keep you for observation for at least a week..."

His eyes slammed shut, so heavy he could hardly force them to stay open. He drifted in an out of consciousness. His eyes opened to day and night so many times he had lost count. He dreamt of peace, silence. It was like he had never slept before.

He awoke to the sound of the rolling thunder across the Winhill night sky. He felt the vibrations in his chest, drawing a smile out onto his face. He couldn't remember when he had last heard that sound. Planting his hands firmly onto the bed, he sat up, his body still very weak. Seifer ignored his body's still joints and sore muscles. He needed to see it.

The rain poured heavily against the window, making waving motions of liquid down the pane. Seifer's hand reached up to the glass, feeling the condensation on his fingers.

He scanned the room, noting the rural feeling of the room. Everything inside of the room seemed cozy, like a home almost. Paintings of landscapes complimented the beige walls, wildflowers hung near the windowsills. A fire crackled in the fireplace, blanketing everything in a vibrant orange hue.

He planted his feet on the ground and moved to slowly pull out the IV in his arm. He slipped the covers off to find he was naked and began searching for clothes. Seifer felt around in the drawer beside the bed and found a pair of plaid drawstring pants.

The tall blonde stood, keeping his balance by holding onto the sturdy chair by the bed. He was exhausted by the time he made it to the door, but he needed to see it. It couldn't wait. Seifer drifted down the hall. His legs felt like rubber when he stopped to catch his breath. He found another patient's room, the man had rolled over when Seifer peeked inside, sleeping hands snatching blankets as they wrapped around their waist and chest. Seifer left it alone, continuing on uneasily until he had made it down the hall. His arms and chest burned from holding his own weight. He thought he would collapse when he made it to the large bay windows of Dr. Kadowaki's practice. A thunderclap draw his attention outside. Seifer's mouth gaped, it had been years since he had seen so much open sky at once.

He gazed in awe at the raging storm pouring from the split sky. But it wasn't enough. Seifer needed to feel it. He stepped toward the door, pushing it open as he let his legs carry him outside.

The freezing cold rain hit him in fat drops as he stood beneath the storm. The elements of Winhill soaked into his very being.

 _Everything's so different._

A low rumble of thunder washed over the small town, encircling Seifer as he stood, his mouth widening into a smile as he raised his arms up, his hands running through his hair. His body was completely soaked, his feet felt the mud beneath him. He embraced the raging storm with open arms. The entire experience was so overwhelming he found himself falling backwards.

–

Seifer woke from his sleep the next morning unsure of how he found his way back into the bed. The sun blanketed his bare back until he rolled over. The warm kiss of the light danced on his face. He shifted his legs, feeling something shift in the bed with him. Seifer peered down, seeing a fat grey cat. The cat's eyes opened, revealing a brilliant green. His fingers stretched down, letting the cat rub its whiskers and start purring. Seifer smiled, watching the cat reach out and pull his fingers to its face. It let out a silent meow before getting comfortable again, stretching out across the bed.

He took the grey cats advice, closing his eyes and stretching out his body across the bed until he rolled back over onto his stomach. Seifer reached for the second pillow and tucked it into his chest, wrapping his long arms around it with a long, relaxed groan. It was impossible to get out of bed. The comfort had seduced him to stay a little longer. Seifer could hear birds singing outside, he listened the calming noise lulling him back to sleep.

" _...well, our success rate won't matter because this is where I will have shown you the birth of a God."_

Seifer's brow furrowed. He opened his eyes and saw the bandages on his wrists. He extended his arm, running his hands across the skin. There was a collection of veins surrounding the injection site, black in color.

 _Project Guardian..._

Flickers of the events that had brought him to Winhill flitted in and out of his mind. He shot upright in the bed, looking around.

He felt the cold fingers in the back of his mind. They sifted through his memories. He stopped moving, hearing the sound of a flatline. Seifer's fingers went to his heart, feeling it beating. Seifer knew what happened. Cardiac Arrest. Death.

 _What is this? I don't remember this..._

He could see his body like he was floating from above. In his eyes he saw lifelessness, death. A woman was there that hadn't been before, placing her hands on his chest, starting compressions. His body wasn't breathing and several minutes had already passed. He was dead. In Garden they had called it full code.

She checked his pulse as the doctors and officers were dragged out by SeeD. More compressions. Seifer felt at peace without the pain.

 _I was dead..._

The woman reached for the defibrillator, he watched a long haired man run in and assist the woman. Seifer's eyes never blinked as he watched the paddles sent the shock. His body felt the ripples above as he did below.

 _How do I know this? How am I here?_

Seifer launched out of the bed, stumbling around the room in Winhill. _I'm not meant to be here._ He could feel his heart racing. His hands wrapped around his torso, remembering the crippling pain. Haunted by the sharp claws that had raked on his skin from inside.

 _I'm supposed to be dead... I'm not supposed to be here..._

Seifer's hands gripped to the furniture as he advanced towards the bathroom. The sickened feeling in the pit of his stomach was unbearable. He couldn't tell if it was real or imagined. He collapsed to his knees at the front of the toilet, dropping his head and emptying what felt like his entire abdominal cavity.

His hand wiped away any excess as he calmed himself. He quickly flushed, the smell of the contents of his own stomach made him want to purge again. When he was ready, he found the sink and washed his face and hands. He found the bathroom kit that seemed to have been ready for him. Brushing his teeth made his gums feel raw. It had been several years since he had held a toothbrush. As he turned the faucet on, he noticed a pair of electric clippers on a shelf. His gaze led from the clippers to the mirror and he observed his hair. It was a shaggy matted mess, hardly anything like it had been before.

 _Nothing can be done about it…just get rid of it all and start over._

Seifer glanced in the mirror, seeing a smiling woman in the doorway. He spun around, his instincts found the first pointed object he could reach for. Something sharp, a blade – he found a pair of scissors.

"Do you know where you are?" The woman held her hands up in defense. "I recovered you from the prison..."

 _Lies._

"My name is Dr. Tomé Kadowaki." Her voice was almost melodic, fluid. "I'm a SeeD Medic Operative from Garden –"

"Where's your uniform?" Seifer was already suspicious.

"Sorry?"

 _More lies._

"There's a standard uniform issued to SeeD Medics and you're not wearing it."

"There was an order sent out that we wear civilian clothes while traveling throughout Galbadia–"

"Why?"

"Safety." Tomé crossed her arms, her eyes keeping on the scissors gripped tight in his hand. "Galbadia Garden has had several operatives go missing in the last week. They sent the order for our protection. All things considered, we're to remain incognito until we have eliminated the threat."

"Threat?" Seifer wanted to trust her, she seemed to be genuine.

"I haven't been permitted to discuss any more, I'm sorry." She took a step forward, causing Seifer to side step away from the wall. "I know that this is confusing for you. If you can put those away..."

Seifer gave an absent nod, he loosened the grip, slowly placing them by the sink.

"I wanted to let you know that I've made breakfast for everyone if you're hungry but I figured you would have wanted to shower first." She reached inside the cabinet by the door, her gaze never leaving his. "Towels are here, I have laid out some clothes for you on your bed. They should be the right size."

Despite his predatory gaze, she seemed to be unafraid. Seifer slowly took the towel, her unusually perky demeanor seemed like a foreign concept to him.

 _Why am I here?_

"Do you need some help? You look like you need some help with the hair..." She motioned at his head, reaching for a stool behind the door. She guided his shoulders, making him sit while she combed his hair through her fingers as best as she could.

"I'm not a hairstylist but I used to cut my husbands hair for him." Seifer watched Tomé from the mirror, watching as her hands moved in a flurry, snipping as she went. "Before he let me, he used to do his own and there'd be these little hairs that would stick out, and I'd end up cutting it, which was annoying for _me_ because I'd be like 'Hey, I'm off to go save a life' and he'd go 'No, you have to fix my hair!' This guy I'm seeing like, hates to cut his hair. It's kind of sexy though, y'know? The whole man-bun thing?" She continued as Seifer looked at the locks of hair as the fell. "I guess you don't really know... being in prison and all..." He could hardly keep up with her. It was like watching a hamster running on the wheel.

"Do you have a specific style or cut? Mom said that you're the kind of guy who likes it short. You have the longer face for it – she really likes you." Seifer raised an eyebrow. "You remember talking with Dr. Kadowaki? She doesn't practice much anymore, but it seems like she's becoming a one-stop-shop here in Winhill." Snip, snip. Tomé was gentle, her hands delicately ran through his hair sending shivers down his spine. She sat down the scissors, reaching for the clippers. "Yeah, Dr. Kadowaki is my mom. I grew up with my dad but when he died I enrolled in Balamb to be with my mom..." Her hands brushed off the tiny hairs that had fallen around his shoulders as she shaved the sides of his head. Seifer turned his head to the side, examining it in the mirror.

"Like I said, I'm not a hairstylist." She picked the scissors back up, touching up the top. "So, last night was fun..." Her eyes got big as she smiled. "You probably didn't see me but I caught you right as you walked outside." Snip, snip, snip. "Scared me too. I thought you were dead again." Seifer looked up at her, confused. "When we recovered you, you were full code. We almost lost you...Anyway!" Another quick burst of snipping, her recovery wasn't terribly graceful. "Yeah, so there I am, reading a book and I hear someone clamoring around in the front room. I watched as you walked outside – not like I was worried you would run, because I would _definitely_ catch you in your current state – but yeah, you passed out and I had to get Irvine to –"

"Kinneas?" Seifer blinked, thinking of the long haired man.

"Yes! Irvine Kinneas. He had to help carry you back inside. You're skin and bone but you're still kinda heavy." She smirked, her hands ruffling his hair, checking for any uneven strands.

"Hm." Seifer watched her work. "I needed to feel the rain." He felt her hands rest on his shoulders, her smile gone.

"If you feel embarrassed by it, don't. I can't imagine what you went through in there. It must have been awful."

 _I should be dead._

Seifer looked down at the bandages on his wrist. He began to peel them off, wincing as he separated the gauze from the healing wounds. "Why am I here?"

 _I'm not supposed to be here._

"I can't discuss it." Tomé's voice was light as she continued to play with his hair, her nails lightly scratching on his scalp. He felt her hands leave his head and run down his arms, her voice trailed as she told him another story. Seifer swallowed hard, feeling his pulse rising as she kept her hands on him. He closed his eyes, trying to slow his breathing.

This wasn't normal for him. It was like he felt this gnawing urge to react. His back straightened and shoulders rolled back as Seifer felt his nerves electrify when her hands moved to his shoulders, neck. The touch sent tiny shivers through his body as her fingers ran against the sparse, finite hairs on his chest.

Seifer swallowed again, his neck twitching as he felt something in the back of his mind. He felt his memories sifting, his own voice speaking them out in his head...

 _The sensations of lips on your mouth. Nails scratching you... you want to tear off her clothes... ravage her._

He stopped himself before he could react. He took her wrist in his hand and pushed it away, standing from the stool. He could feel the flutters in his chest. Feeling his cheeks flush red. "What are you doing?"

 _Too familiar..._

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was trying to work out stress in your neck and shoulders. I swear that's all – I have a _sort of_ boyfriend..." Her genuine concern was all it took for Seifer to relax. The body that contained his spirit felt unfamiliar to him. He couldn't understand his it, why his nerves were so alive. Everything around him seemed amplified ever since he woke. He could see, hear and feel everything around him.

"I'm... I don't know what I am, or what it is I'm feeling..." Seifer was speaking truthful. He had no idea how to not feel everything at that point.

Tomé smiled, "Don't worry about cleaning up the hair. I think a good shower will help you. Come to the kitchen when you're finished." Her red hair fluttered when she turned, making her exit. Seifer peeked out into the room to find it empty. He closed the bathroom door and began to undress.

He pulled back the curtain of the shower and stepped inside. He reached out, turning on the faucets and released a long sigh of relief. The water embraced him, making him feel almost as revitalized as he did the night before. Grabbing a bar of soap, he washed his face a second time, then the rest of his body. He rolled his neck around from side to side, the bar of soap running along his collarbone. Seifer washed his hair, shaved, let the water pool in his mouth before spitting it out...

This was pure heaven.

He hadn't had clean water in a long time, let alone a long relaxing shower. He took his time, letting the water run cold. He shut the faucets off and reached for his towel, drying off and wrapping it around his waist tightly. Seifer caught a strange glimpse of himself as he passed the mirror. He leaned in, rubbing away the fog to examine his face. At twenty-seven, his eyes were hardened by the wisdom and wariness of one who had endured pain beyond his years. He checked his body from side to side. "Huh." He hadn't been as skinny and gaunt as he originally thought. He pushed a hand across his forehead, wiping off the water and walked out. Seifer found the clothes Tomé had left for him. A dark blue tee with jeans, briefs, belt, socks & a pair of black boots.

Tomé sat at a table with another gentlemen in the cozy little kitchen in the back of the house. Seifer slowly walked in, his shirt feeling tight around his chest. Seifer cleared his throat and Tomé looked up from her papers. She smiled brightly, putting a hand to her mouth. "Well hi, handsome, don't you look smart? Did you have a good shower?"

She wasn't going to let up on her peppy attitude. "Yes, thank you." He spotted the coffee, grabbing a cup sitting on the drying rack in the kitchen. The scent was intoxicating when he breathed it in, taking a sip. As he turned, he froze. Sitting at the table with Tomé, sat Zell.

"Seifer." The tattooed blue eyed SeeD knocked back a pain pill, pocketing the bottle and swallowing the pill dry. He leaned back, staring down his former rival.

"Zell."

"You're alive." Zell's sky blue eyes seemed to have been more profound through contrast of the healing bruises on his face.

"Yeah." Seifer saw that his body was covered in marks, evidence of a painful battle. The most obvious marks being the ones around his neck and forearms. Zell flexed the rubber ball in his fist connected to the arm and shoulder that was in a sling. He chewed on the cut on his lower lip.

Seifer had never seen Zell so beaten and battered. "What happened to you?"

"Let's just say I ran into an old friend..." Zell grabbed his glass of orange juice, taking in a drink, his eyes never leaving Seifer's.

Dr. Kadowaki walked in, donning her gardening hat and gloves. "Ah! There you two are." She shuffled to the sink, washing her hands. "Tomé, have you actually fed this poor boy? You know he's always hungry when he comes to my house." Dr. Kadowaki winked at Zell, gently applying pressure to Zell's shoulder. Seifer watched as he winced, taking a deep breath. "You are going to have to keep this on until you get back to Garden. Let us hope surgery isn't something in your future."

Zell looked angry, he brought his good arm over to his bad shoulder, tightening the sling. "What if it is?"

"Then you have surgery." Dr. Kadowaki pulled out a chair, offering the seat to Seifer.

"That's just frickin' perfect..." Zell stood up, gripping onto his shoulder. He pushed the chair back in with his foot and walked out of the kitchen.

"He's taking the news of his squadmates pretty hard." Tomé gently sat a bowl of hot porridge in front of Seifer. Beside the bowl was a small plate of fresh fruit. "Take it slow, you don't want to upset your stomach."

Seifer stared at the plate, almost in disbelief. The aroma of the food made his mouth water. He felt the stirrings in his mind and his voice,

 _It's so fresh... like the mists on the morning...the wind in your hair. Birds...sunrise..._

He picked up the silver fork and immediately began to eat, immediately overwhelmed with the taste. It had been years since he had tasted real food. A symphony of flavors danced on his tongue. Seifer swore it was the most delicious thing he had ever ate.


	10. Hollow

"Get some sleep."

"You get some sleep."

Nino stoked the fire, prodding at it with a stick to keep it going. She sat back against the log beside Zell, sighing. She glanced down at her hands, still tightly bound together.

 _It would be so easy to loosen these._

Zell slipped on the ballistic shirt. It was too long for his shorter stature but it kept his skin from being exposed. He had torn and rolled his jeans up to his knees, using the excess denim to strengthen Nino's restraints. She watched the muscles in his arm flex as Nino's dagger dragged down the end of he stick he sharpened into a point. Every few minutes, she watched as he would glance up, scan the perimeter, shoot hateful daggers at Nino and then return to the stick. Sometimes he would utter an insult.

 _A potential hazard...no... it'll break._

"If the Wendigo comes back that's not going to pierce through the hide." They kept their voices low, not wanting to draw attention. "I'm not sure if my blade was strong enough." Zell had lost one of her daggers. Nino knew exactly where it was – jammed inside the tough hide of the monster that had attacked them.

"It's not for the Wendigo." Zell shot a cold glare at Nino.

"I won't attack you."

"There was an old TV show I used to watch with my ex. One of the characters in the show had been taken prisoner and his soldiers were killed off. Meanwhile, he was tortured, humiliated, all that." Zell continued sharpening the stick. _"_ So this guy scrubbing the floors releases him, sends him riding off into the night back to his people, right? Well, as it turned out, he was actually the torturer all along and releasing him was a ruse that was part of the torture. He got his evil buddies and they hunted him down. The torturer shows up, kills everyone all while still pretending to help him." Zell blew excess off the blade in his hand before continuing. "So... I'm not going to sleep, I'm not going to sit out with a trained Syndicate assassin and _not_ be armed. So... I'm making damn sure I'm prepared."

"You forgot that the torturer was a violent and sadistic sociopath."

"Yeah, people like that are the type of people who threaten to kill your mother and tell you you're getting raped..." Zell sneered. "Oh, that's right... _you_ did that."

They were both exhausted, both hungry. Neither of them able to hunt or to fight, instead they sat powerless by the fire, bickering like old folks.

"I had no control over it."

"Bullshit. Everyone has a choice and you were in control – just like I chose not to kill yo –MOTHERFFF–" She heard the crack as Zell exclaimed in frustration, the spear he had spent the long night grinding down had snapped, his hand was sliced by Nino's blade.

"You think you could kill me?" She found the thought amusing. So many had tried. "I wish you would."

"Piece of junk stick...What do you mean? Try or do?"

Nino tilted her head toward the moonlight, toward Zell. "...Both."

"You got a death wish or somethin'?"

Nino chuckled, shaking her head. "Have you ever just...stopped and questioned everything? Wondered where you went wrong? What you could have done different?"

"Don't give me that remorse bullshit..."

"You asked."

Zell threw the broken sticks into the campfire, cursing as he stood. His hand dripped blood into the dirt. He walked with a limp, his feet filthy from the mud and dirt. Nino watched as he rubbed his chest. She could feel it too.

"Let's go. We've been sittin' here too long." Zell kicked the loose dirt around the fire, snuffing it out. Suddenly it was dark. Nino felt his arm yank her upward, his grip firm. "I said we're movin', let's go!"

The thunder rolled across the sky. They found a clearing to walk through, cautiously feeling out for any dangers. Nino kept to herself. The spring rains had already arrived by the time they were a mile away from their last camp. The water soaked her to the bone, but at least she was warm. Still, she trembled uncontrollably, her wrists felt raw from the tight leather binds.

 _Go back. You can't leave. Go back now. Syndicate will come for you. They will find you just like they did before._

She winced as Zell trampled through the brush, his feet must have ached from the exposure. They continued on foot for hours, lightning gave them the sight to see where they were walking.

Her balance was uneven when she couldn't use her hands. It only took a few twists for her to release them. She wrapped the belt around her waist as they walked. She wasn't going to kill Zell unless he tried to do so first. But she didn't have the urges she usually did. The more time she spent with Zell, the quieter her mind became but the stronger the pull in her chest grew.

They followed along a stream, heading west. Galbadia Garden was too far to travel on foot, it would mean that they would eventually have to find a car or even a train, with luck. Nino knew that was where they would need to part ways. She couldn't remain in his custody.

"The Syndicate agents that are in Garden..." She heard him as he inspected the enormous tree that had blocked their path. "Is that how they found out we were comin'?"

"They had you trailed before you left Balamb." Nino gave information freely to him.

"Perfect." Zell's frustration was clear in his voice. "Who are these agents? Do you have names?"

She peered up, watching as he began to scale the fallen tree in their paths. It was massive, the branches curled and twisted around it. He reached the top, steadying himself.

"During training you're mostly isolated with your group. So anyone beneath you functions only as a subordinate. I know faces, but not names. Most of the mission briefings were between officers. I wasn't made one yet. I was to be my Officer's Support so... I just heard rumors for the most part."

"Well then, tell me the rumors." His arm wrapped around one of the tangled branches, his good hand reached out to grab her.

Nino took a running jump, her hands reaching out. He caught them in his grasp, gripping tight as he pulled her up. When she reached for him for balance Nino could feel his muscles harden and tense up. Zell saw that her hands had been freed. He stepped away, doing his best to avoid her and searching for a way down.

"There was talk about a revolution. They're starting something massive. There's talk about power. Our leader didn't like that Garden was becoming it's own personal military for the Unified Council."

"You seem to be pretty open with all of this. How do I know you're not lying?"

"My... mind is too quiet. I can't think of anything. Lies, truth. I'm just saying what I can now before my mind begins to tell me things again." She evoked a half cocked chuckle from her companion. "Honestly... they... changed me somehow. I can hardly remember the person I was before."

"So then what were they training you for? War?" Zell balanced himself, his bare feet curling around branches and steadying himself as he made it to the extended branch.

Nino shrugged, following him. "I spent the last five years of my life training to be involved in infiltration, espionage."

"A spy."

"A spy, I was to gather information."

"What kind of information?"

"I never made it that far. They assigned me to Squad A. They specialized in Assassinations, Executions..."

"Torture..." Zell took his time shifting his weight onto a branch as Nino waited to see how he maneuvered across the top base of the tree, marveling at the tight lines and sculpted muscles on his body as the shirt clung to his skin. On a level surface, Zell stood directly eye level with Nino. She followed his pattern, taking his hand for balance as they slid down off the trunk.

 _Torrin would call it invoking an existing fear. Interrogation... not –_

"Torture." Nino could feel Zell's weary eyes on her. He wiped his face, a gloveless fist rubbing his nose. "I'm sorry –"

"Sorry doesn't change anything. _Sorry_ won't bring the dead back to life." Zell took a few steps away, his fists clenched. "Why did you wait?"

"I left once, with... someone who is gone now. He and I..." Nino shivered, brushing the hair back from her face. "We weren't _careful_."

"What does that mean?"

"Death is the only true way one leaves Syndicate. Instead of Death we ran away. Went elsewhere."

"What does that mean?"

"We lived in this... apartment? In Dollet I think? I remember...

 _Do you feel it?_

"I remember that they came for me in the night. I was punished, corrected. Reconditioned." Her eyes searched the trees. "I remember waking and missing something. And that's when I was told that the person who took me away from them had died."

"Right. You told me you spent five years training with these people. Nobody spends five years. What made you rethink that decision?"

"I was given the order to assassinate Selphie Tilmitt but I failed." Nino confessed, feeling her spirit lighten. "She...is a good person, like you."

"You don't know me."

Nino stepped forward. "But I do! Like Selphie Tilmitt you're a humanitarian, kind. You're a good person and I couldn't do it, just like I couldn't kill her. Instead, I warned her. And like you, I wanted to help. I wanted to stop your torture. I know that fear you felt because they did the same to me. They wanted to me to prove my loyalty. I just thought if I got you to talk, they would stop." She looked up, Zell had started walking ahead.

"Zell!"

 _Tell him._

"The things I've done, I never wanted to do it. It just happened – out of my control."

Zell paused. It was hard to make out his expression through the rain.

"There's something else. We've met. Before." Nino sighed, rubbing her face from the torrential downpour. She stepped closer. "It was before you got your tattoo. I was in Balamb during the Summer Festival."

–

Nino thought back, remembering the smell of the ocean, gazing out at the endless sea for the first time. She stepped off the train first, looking around as Rinoa breezed past, running and taking a jumping leap at her boyfriend. He smiled, his bare arms wrapping around her. His gaze went to Nino, his eyes matched the color of the ocean water.

"Let's get to the Hotel." Seifer's voice was cool, arrogant. Rinoa put her hand on his chest as they walked.

"Will you be staying with us?"

"You're not worried I may sneak into your bed at night?"

"Don't be gross!" Rinoa playfully slapped his chest as he smirked, running his hands in his hair. "There are three beds and we have Nino here."

"Ah, yes. Can't forget Nino..." The young blonde called back, coolly waving his hand at her she was their servant. "C'mon Nino!"

Nino grabbed the bags, obviously playing chauffeur as they walked ahead. She was always treated like a third wheel. She stacked the rolling suitcases, pulling them along. She could hear the seagulls calling out, music playing down by the harbor.

Her eyes darted all around her, everything seemed to vibrant and the people were so friendly. They had begun to set up the vendor stalls all along the road to the Hotel. Balloons, streamers and banners hung in colorful displays.

They turned the corner of the Weapons shop, Nino peeked inside the window, watching as they polished weapons for display.

"So yeah! Good thing I got these sweet-ass gloves on..."

Nino's eyes slowly turned to the voice with the Balamb accent and found a platinum blonde haired boy around her age standing beside her. He folded his arms, his fists wearing a pair of fingerless gloves, a metal plate across the front embossed with blunted spikes. She likely would have never given him the time of day but something pulled her towards him but she couldn't understand why. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed. Grey tank top, black shorts, sneakers with no socks. His hair was spiked in a sort of 'rolled out of bed mohawk,' reminding her of a chicken. Nino's eyes scanned the area, Seifer and Rinoa were nowhere to be found. She looked back at the boy who wore a crooked smile, his canine teeth seemed longer than normal, like fangs. They were just like hers and it made her smile.

"Yeah? You're gonna challenge me to a duel?" Nino playfully threw up a fist, smirking.

He shrugged as he tightened a glove strap. "Well, ya see... I'm just _really_ glad I'm wearing these gloves because ah... you're just too hot to handle."

"Wow." Nino laughed, covering her mouth as her body shook. The more she thought about it the worse it got, making her laugh harder.

"Yeah, that's the corniest line I could think of." He smirked, leaning closer. "Honestly, I saw ya and my chest did this weird beatin' thing, yeah? And I got all these pins and needles and I felt like, 'Y'know, even though she's definitely, most likely _not single_ , ya could always walk over there and try to be her friend, right? That, and ya looked like ya may have needed a laugh."

"I bet you say that to all the girls..." She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms.

The boy smirked, leaning against the wall beside her and slipping his hands in his pockets. "No actually, I'm kind of shy about talkin' to girls and I'm internally repressing the urge to run away."

"That's okay, I'm internally repressing the urge to throw these bags over the harbor." Nino kicked the luggage, causing it to shake.

"Why is that?"

"Chivalry is dead. My best friend took off with her boyfriend without me. They were heading to the hotel and I got lost."

"That does suck..." The boy gave a sympathetic nod, clicking his teeth.

"Worst part of it was this totally weird but super cute guy started hitting on me... crazy right?" She teased, watching the blonde's reaction go from pretend offended to bashful. He bit his thumb, a lopsided smirk playing on his lips.

"You think I'm cute." He closed his lips, still smiling as he looked at her. He bent down to pick up the bags, lifting them with ease. "Well, let's get you checked in, miss. I'm gonna show ya that chivalry ain't dead. Nope, it's alive and well with me!"

They walked together, the blonde boy eager to make her laugh. Nino obliged, eventually taking his arm as a kind gesture. She didn't even mind that they took the long route. His jokes were terrible but she preferred the company of this strange martial artist than being alone. Or worse – having to watch her best friend make out with her boyfriend the entire trip.

He stopped at the blue doors of the hotel, setting her luggage down and giving Nino a gentlemanly bow. She responded with a an elegant curtsy. They both laughed, somehow her hand had found his. She started to pull away but his gloved hand pulled her in, his expression serious for the first time in the evening. "I'm supposed to head to the market for my Ma but... will ya meet me here? Later? For the Festival? Unless you're gonna be too busy making puking sounds off the balcony while your friend makes out with her boyfriend." His blue eyes seemed to shimmer against the reflection of the grey stones in the road.

She pulled away from the gaze when she heard familiar laughter down the street. She spotted Seifer along with Fujin, Raijin and Rinoa. The smile on his face faded when he saw who she had been talking to.

"Hmm..." Nino pressed a finger to her lips. "Maybe _we_ could make out and then _they_ can make puking sounds off the balcony!" Her idea made his cheeks burn red. The smile never leaving her face.

"That... uh...heh. So it's a date? T-that would be – um. Yeah." He laughed off his awkward response, scratching the back of his head as he walked backwards. He still held onto her fingers. "So – meet ya when it starts?"

Nino felt his fingers leave hers. She was excited to tell Rinoa all about this local Balamb boy, only... "Wait! What's your name?"

The boy turned, it dawned on him he hadn't told her.

"Oh! Right... Um, my name is –"

"CHICKEN-WUSS!"

Nino watched the color flow out of the kid who had charmed his way into a date with her. His boyish features turned angry, furious, mortified, a mixture of all three. She turned, Seifer and Raijin laughed, imitating a chicken clucking.

Before she could defend her new friend, she felt Seifer curl his arm around her, bringing her close to his chest. She tried pushing away, his arm keeping it's grip as he stared the boy down.

"For fuck's sake, Seifer! What the hell is your problem!?" The shorter blonde stomped his foot, his fists closed tight.

"Aww, is the little Chicken-Wuss gonna go cry?" Seifer laughed, looking down at Nino.

"Trust me, Nino. You don't want to hang around with this loser ya'know?!" Raijin bellowed, his arms flapping like a chicken.

Nino elbowed Seifer in the stomach, his hard abs taking the blow with little effort. He laughed it off, his strong arm relaxing enough for her to shove him away, slapping him across the face. The posture only amused him more.

"Frickin' hell..." The boy sighed, pointing to Seifer. "You're hanging around THIS asshole? Wish ya would've told me that sooner! I really coulda gone without this."

Nino shook her head, ignoring Raijin and Seifer's jeers. "I didn't know –"

"Forget it. I'm outta here..." The blonde rubbed the back of his neck, turning on his heel and walking away, defeated.

She turned, shoving Seifer into Raijin, causing the two to stumble and fall on each other.

"You want something to laugh about? Watch this." Nino whipped her hair around, running in the opposite direction. She chased after the boy. "Hey!" Her hand reached, spinning him around. She stepped forward until their lips met.

The blonde tried to push away from her, not putting up much of a fight. She pressed her body against his, feeling his fists tighten and then soften, and moving to her hips. She felt his fingers tighten around the small of her back, pulling her against him. It was a simple kiss. She pulled away, pressing her lips together in a sweet smile as she squeezed his hand a final time, turning away.

–

She wiped the rain from her face, waiting for Zell's reaction. She watched as he turned away, his hand moving to his chest. They stood in silence for a while, Zell's stare softened, confused. The thunder rolled across the sky, the rain pouring heavy.

"I... I forgot about that." He blinked, rain drops falling off his lashes.

Nino shivered. "I didn't know it was you until I saw your face back at the compound. The way you looked at me was the way you looked at Seifer that day. It just... brought it all back. It made me feel something again."

"So... what you think... you think just because..." A flash and a deafening boom cracked across the sky. Nino flinched, it was clear that the rain wouldn't let up. Zell turned his torso in the direction behind him. "Let's just..." He turned, walking into the darkness. Nino followed him close behind, both in silence.

The visibility became minimal. Zell and Nino slowed their trek down to small bursts at a time.

After what felt like hours, Zell stumbled upon a large tree with a hollow. He had to climb to reach it but he managed to climb up and find enough space for just the two of them to fit. Zell slid inside, reaching down to grab Nino and pull her with him. It was snug and wet, but it was safer than down below. They had been hearing noises of the Wendigos that still roamed the area. Nino shrugged off her coat and used it to protect them from the rain that dripped in the hollow.

Neither of them spoke. They were both exhausted, both hungry. Neither of them able to hunt or fight.

Nino's body felt heavy, her lids fought with her to stay closed. Her head fell to her side, hitting Zell's shoulder. She fought against her exhaustion until Zell's arm pulled her close, their bodies shivered. He tilted his head down, "Get some sleep."

She smiled, folding her arms to her chest. "You get some sleep."

Nino couldn't fight it any longer. Before she knew it, she had woke and daylight had finally reached them. The storm had not yet passed but it was finally looking to let up. She couldn't see the sky but she watched the rain lightly fall through the trees.

 _I'll let him rest a little bit longer._

Zell's arms had relaxed in his sleep. One arm propped his head while the other rested on the small of her waist. His legs had tangled into hers, sticky from the moisture. She rested her head down onto his shoulder, feeling it rise and fall in deep long breaths. She couldn't imagine when the last time he had slept.

She lay with him until he opened his eyes. He shut his eyes tight, stifling a yawn with his hand. She felt his hand squeeze her arm, nudging her to move. Nino scooted to the opposite end of the hollow, knees propped up as she let Zell stretch. His hands rested between his legs, staring at the rain.

"I used to love the rain seasons." Zell shook his head, scratching at the damp scruff on his cheeks. "I would give anything to be out of them right about now."

"I still love them, I just... would rather be elsewhere."

Zell mustered a half-cocked smirk, brushing the grass and leaves that clung to his bare legs. "So...do you still keep in touch with Seifer?" Zell blurted, watching her reaction.

"...No. I'll never see him again."

"Why?"

"He died." Nino's hands twisted her hair into a bun. "His execution was..."

 _Long ago._

"Quick."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." Zell rubbed on the scruff on his face. He hadn't shaved in over two weeks. "We tried to save him. I'm sorry that we couldn't."

"It was already too late."

"So that means that you were with him at the Lunatic."

Nino nodded. "Ultimecia had shown him our compound in the Yaulny. He was to see my father."

"So your father really did know the location of the Lunatic Pandora. What happened next?"

"Well, he gave him the location and helped him retrieve it. My father and I, being from Esthar – him more than I because we left when I was a baby but I was raised on the language."

Zell shifted kicking a leg up and pulled it to his chest. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Maybe."

He pulled off the ballistic shirt, wringing out the damp. "Do you think the memory is why I brought you with me? Do you think that's why you can think clearer?"

"I don't know. My chest has done this weird..."

"Patter?" Zell looked up.

"Yeah..." Nino half-smiled. "I don't know why."

"I feel it too..." Zell muttered, letting out a quick cough. "What did you mean last night? About not having control? You've had a million chances to kill me and you haven't. Why?"

"Syndicate trains you to kill. You just kill and without question. There's no guilt behind it because you're doing what you are expected. It's like turning off a light when you leave the room. But, when I saw you and when those memories came back it's like...something changed and I found reason not to." She watched his thumbnail go back to his mouth, the same habit.

"How many people have you killed?"

"More than I can remember."

"Do you feel anything when you do?" Zell shifted, curious. "What do you feel? Do you really not feel guilt?"

 _Nothing. I feel nothing._

"I don't feel anything. I can feel my hand on the blade and the strength of my own body but nothing for the life I take. Emotionally, I feel nothing."

"Seriously?" Zell's expression turned from curious to shocked.

"What do you feel? What are you supposed to feel?"

Zell tried to answer the questions, looking around. "You're supposed to feel _something._ Otherwise you're a machine or no different than a monster that kills for no reason."

"There's a reason for killing in the Syndicate. We don't just kill on a whim but lately it's been hard trying to understand the reasoning for it. As of late, people are killed more for sport than anything. I hate it." Nino felt her lip quivering when she watched Zell's reaction to her answers. "I want to stop, Zell. Tell me, how do I stop? I don't want to be programmed to kill–"

A loud crash of thunder rolled across the sky. Zell jumped, he shoved her coat out of the way and stuck his head out to observe the storm clouds.

"We need to get moving again, yeah? Maybe by the time we get to East Academy Sta–"

Nino watched the barbed pincers of the grapple stuck inside Zell's back before he even flinched. He flew out of the hollow, out of her sight. She reached for his legs, the moisture in the air causing her hands to slip. Her ears picked up the sound of his body hitting the ground and then the sound of agony.

"Zell!" Nino watched as he screamed below, his body slowly being pulled toward the dense brush. Nino jumped down, reaching for her coat. Her hands immediately went to his shoulders, lifting him up in a sitting position. Zell screamed, trying to fight her off with one hand. Her hands grabbed his as she inspected the injury.

 _Claw is expanded. Steel braided barbed cable. Get it out before retraction._

Without a second thought she planted her boot onto the cable, her fingers going to the barbs of the grapple. "Hold still." She grabbed at the claws, realizing they were stuck in deep. "Don't move." She dug her nail in deep underneath the skin.

"THAT... FUCKING HURTS!" He screamed, his natural reaction to attack kicked in. She dodged his throw, her knee pinning his forearm down as she hastily pulled out the remaining claws, the cable begun retracting, her foot started to slip in the wet grass. Once he was freed she watched as the grapple snapped back, the tiny barbs on the cable ripping away from Zell's back and vanished into the foliage. Gone.

Nino looked down to Zell, identifying the rundown of possible injuries as she threw on her coat.

 _Dislocated shoulder, possible concussion...skin tearing. There's blood. A lot of blood. The rain is getting heavier. Syndicate has found us. Focus, Nino. They are already here._

Nino shoved Zell back to the ground when he tried to stand. "Stay down."

"It's nothing I can't fix..." Zell grimaced, his jaw locked tight as he stood. He held his left arm to his chest. "You can't fight out here by yourself."

She barely touched his shoulder but it was enough to keep him on the ground with another agonizing cry. "I know a dislocation when I see it. Stay low."

A twig snapped and Nino jumped upright, reaching for the blade that wasn't there. It was still in the tree. Nino shielded her eyes, scanning the dense area. Thunder clapped all around them. She began to pace around Zell.

"IDENTIFY!" Nino postured, her hands flying up in defense as a Syndicate Agent appeared. He was tall, brutish. In his sheath he wore a gilded assassin blade. The blade of an officer.

"Superior."

"Subordinate."

She kept her eyes from staying in one place. "You're Procurer Hyde. You're here to bring me back."

"We have specific orders to bring you back unharmed, Nino." He cracked his knuckles, "But they are offering a pretty big reward on SeeD heads now...especially this one. Torrin likes his mark. Wants us to cut it out and frame it on the wall. Come with me now. Your father wants words. Agent Victarion has given me the authority it and as your superior, I command you."

Nino flinched, remembering the pain. The torment, the drowning.

"But first... he is your target and you will kill him for me before we return." Hyde aimed a fist to Zell, who painfully stood, his legs bending him low to the ground.

"Nino..."

 _Focus, Nino. Focus on the target._

Her green eyes looked to Zell, watching his fear wash over him as she returned to Hyde, kneeling. She put her hand to a fist, pressing it to her chest.

"My life for Syndicate." Her tone was calm, firm.

"Nino, no...don't do this..."

 _My mind is clear. My thoughts focused. I know what I must do..._

The brute stepped past Nino, charging for Zell. "I've got this one. You stay and OBEY."

 _Target._

She unsheathed the gilded blade on Hyde's back, ramming it into the back of the brutes leg when he passed. She heard the wail and kicked him to the ground, ripping the blade out. In a flash, Nino shot her body upright, channeling the force in her body, she slammed the blade deep into his skull.

Silence. She kept her eyes in all directions, never pausing.

"Nino?" Zell held his arm close as he stood. He clenched his jaw, pointing. "BEHIND YOU!"

 _Target._

Nino spun, coming face to face with a Syndicate Assassin. A Subordinate. She grabbed the assassin by the arm and kicked her into the into the tree. The Assassin cried out, reaching for the daggers at her back but they were already gone. She turned just as Nino shoved them into throat, slicing the arteries. Twist, pull.

She sheathed the blades, grabbing Zell and pulling him with her. "RUN!"

Zell scrambled to his feet, this time being the one following her. Nino ran through the woods, keeping her eyes out.

 _Target._

Her new blades spun out of her sheaths as she rammed the deadly steel into the agent striking from behind a tree.

She heard Zell cry out in surprise. "Keep running! I know where we are!"

They crossed out of the brush and onto a road that would guide them out of the trees. Her feet carried her faster, her eyes darting, scanning, seeking. The rain was beginning to let up, but not soon enough.

 _Target._

Her blade sang as she drove another dagger into the throat of another agent. She looked back, seeing Zell still behind her. She slowed, grabbing his hand, pulling him along.

She watched the grapple hit the tree beside them, the crunch of wood was heard as they passed.

 _Target._

Nino pushed Zell forward, taking her blade and shoving it into the Assassin's chest as they reached for her injured companion. Her eyes scanned the treeline behind them.

 _Faceless agents. Dozens. Too many to kill all at once. Need to run, need to escape._

"T–train tracks..." Zell ran as best as he could, keeping up surprisingly well with Nino. Zell's head whipped around as he watched her stop long enough to cut another throat. Cold, calculated. He continued to run.

He heard steps behind him, catching up. Nino. She had grabbed the grapple gun as they made it out of the woods. The rain was letting up finally, it was looking to work out in their favor. They took a moment to catch their breath and Nino watched Zell turn, pointing to the train.

"Can we use that on uh... that?"

Nino felt like her body was going to buckle. She nodded, letting out a cough as she checked the gun, hoping it could still fire.

"You can't let go..." She stood, watching as the train's caboose sped by, bringing along cars transporting cargo. "Whatever you do..."

"Hurry!"

 _If I time it just right..._

Her shaking hands cranked the retraction speed of the grapple to max as she turned to run toward the direction of the trees. She didn't need much length for the running jump, just enough. Her eyes scanned again. Nino could feel their eyes on her, watching, waiting. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to feel her pulse in her throat. The wind of the train hit her face, clearing her mind. She turned back to Zell, feeling her feet pick up speed. He was ready to grab her. She prayed he could hold on. Her chest burned, her legs felt like rubber.

She aimed for the train, finding a space in the scope and fired. She watched as Zell braced himself as she slammed into him. They fell backward, in air. Nino wrapped her arms and legs around his body tight as she fired the mechanism for expansion. Retraction. They whipped forward, the force of the grapple sending them to the train. They slammed against a cargo car. Zell screamed, his arm completely useless. She knew he felt the rail jam into his back and hoped nothing broke. Nino could feel the blood pouring down her nose, injured from the impact with his shoulder. She gripped onto his body, her feet desperately trying to find something to push them up. "That rail – Grab it!"

Zell reached, grabbing the ladder and pulling himself up. She kept an eye, making sure he didn't slip with a hand to his back. The train was starting to pick up speed. Fast enough to get away. They could still get to them. She watched as Zell leaned down, reaching for her hand.

She released the grapple, swinging it's heavy weight up above her for Zell to catch. Her hands gripped tight on the slippery metal ladder steps. Nino felt Zell grab her arm as she managed to make it up, falling on her back as the train carried them away. They lay there for several minutes, until Nino's eyes went to Zell as she sat up, inspecting his shoulder.

"I'm gonna need your help getting it back in." He winced, holding it close. Every bump the train made was painful.

 _External Rotation..._

She watched Zell lay flat on his back, motioning for Nino to come closer. "Try not to hit me this time." She teased.

"Heh, sorry." Zell chuckled, sucking in a jagged breath as she grabbed his elbow and wrist, "I actually am sorry for hitting you back at the compound."

"This kind of makes up for it..." She looked at him, studying his face as he swallowed hard. "Sorry, just relax..."

She started pushing his arm to his chest, watching the shoulder. Zell let out a sharp yell, gripping onto the front of her coat, shaking. She felt his muscles tense and relax as she pushed harder, working the shoulder back into the socket. He reacted, his fist slamming into her side. "AH! DAMN IT."

Nino froze, her eyes wide as she held her breath. Her hands gripped tight on Zell's arm.

"Shit...Nino, I'm sorry –"

 _He is the Boy from Balamb. He is not your target. He is a human, he is good._

Nino bent the wrist in, jamming the arm upright. Her weight slammed it back in and she watched as the bone slipped back into the socket, back in place. Zell cried out, grabbing his shoulder and rolling away from her.

She stood, her eyes forward, finally letting out her breath. She kept her balance well on the train, holding her hands out to keep in place.

 _I'm not safe around you._

"...T-thank you..."

 _I can't be safe around anyone..._

Nino fastened the buttons of her coat and walked back, heading toward the end of the train. She stepped over Zell's body, ignoring him as he called her name.

"Nino?! Nino, come back! NINO!"

 _Ignore the patter... just... stay away. Stay away until your mind is clear._

She watched as Seifer stood in front of her on the train. He wore his old grey trenchcoat, hands to his side.

"I'm still here, Ninnoka..." His voice was calm, clear.

 _You will never see him again..._

Nino walked through the apparition, nearly slipping as she made it to the caboose. She descended the ladder, not giving Zell a reason or a goodbye. She didn't want to think anymore, she couldn't bear it any longer.

"What happened to you?" Seifer rested his arms on the train rails, his eyes on her as she climbed over. The train was fast but she could make the jump onto the tracks if she rolled.

 _Angry. Furious. Ashamed. Confused._

"I don't know! Why are you still here?!" She looked up, tears welling in her eyes. "Will you just... go away?! You died, remember?! Just... leave me..."

Seifer's hand went to the knuckles gripping the chain attached to the rail. "Is that what you really want?"

"I don't know." She could see his hand but not feel him. "What are you? A ghost? Am I crazy?"

"What are you, Nino?" Seifer leaned forward. "Who _are_ you?" He frowned. "Do you even know anymore?"

"Enough of this..." She reached for her blade and slashed across his chest. Her feet slipped on the water, causing her to tumble and drag. She watched the blade fall clattering to the tracks. Nino's hands were the next to slip as she fell, calling out his name.


	11. Homecoming

" _The United Council has released a statement regarding the stop of Seifer Almasy's execution. Justice Rupert Menelaus of Galbadia was seen in talks with members of the council in Dollet yesterday, claiming that there was a complication that halted the execution. We are still unclear about the 'complications' but there are reports that Galbadia had permitted a team of doctors to conduct unauthorized experimentation's upon several prisoners of the D-District Prison Facility."_

"If Zell were awake he'd be dancin' in his seat right about now..."

Seifer watched as Irvine turned down the radio, nudging Zell who had been sedated most of the trip home. The tattooed blonde pulled the jacket wrapped across his chest over his face, sighing heavily and going back to sleep. Tomé reached forward from behind the seat, rubbing Zell's neck in comfort. Seifer watched as he dropped the jacket, rubbing his eyes. He let out a pained moan when Irvine hit a big bump.

"We'll be there soon..." Tomé reassured.

"Not soon enough. For fuck's sake, do ya have to hit _every_ bump in the road, man?" Zell's attention turned to Irvine.

"I still can't believe you impersonated Squall..." Tomé shook her head, sitting sideways in the car. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and removed her jacket to reveal a white button down shirt. Seifer could see the pink lacy camisole appear when she pulled her arms back behind her head. When she lifted her hair he caught the scent of fresh flowers and berries. His voice echoed his memories –

 _Mouthwatering. Sun Glistening. Red... listen to the heart beat... can you sense her attraction? Ease into her..._

He closed his eyes, his nose pulling him in her direction. Irvine's voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Well," Irvine cleared his throat, deepening his voice and dropping his accent. "It's not the first time, and it won't be the last..."

"Could you use your talents to get Quistis' job back? Maybe tell administration that you – _Squall_ – made a mistake firing her over Seifer?"

"Squall fired Quistis over me?" Seifer asked, this was news to him.

"Well, that's likely not going to happen. She's talking about transferring to G-Garden or going to stay with Matron in Good Hope." Irvine sighed, "Quistis is pretty resourceful. She'll land on her feet, but I really don't think Squall will fire her. You know, _history._ "

"No, I don't know 'history.'" Seifer blinked. "I've been in prison."

"Why didn't you get in trouble, Irvine?" Zell rubbed his face, scratching at the sutured cut on his tattoo. "I mean," His voice was deep, groggy from the medication. "No offense, but it doesn't seem right that Quistis gets all the blame."

"I'm gonna be serving my punishment at Balamb, trust me. He reassigned my position at G-Garden and docked my pay for the next four months." Irvine shrugged, his eyes quickly glancing up in the rear view. "My punishment apparently means I'm gonna be eating in the cafeteria for an indefinite period of time."

"Oh hush, Irvine – you're always welcome to help yourself to what's inside my icebox." Tomé smirked. Seifer caught the wink they shared between the two.

Irvine's smile widened. "I'll have to remember that..."

It had taken them four long days to travel from Winhill to Balamb Garden. Seifer spent much of that time in silence, watching how much everything had changed in just 5 short years. During the train ride he studied the landscapes, amazed. New expansions on towns were developing, technology was coming in from Esthar and Trabia Garden and fueling much of the world's new advancements. Seifer was astounded that more automobiles were out than ever before.

In Balamb, it seemed like the same town as before but more populated. Tomé and Irvine had explained that with Balamb Garden being the central hub, more people wanted to live closer to Garden. The trip to Garden felt like the longest. Seifer shrugged it off as nerves and the anticipation to be able to get out of the confined areas. He had developed so much energy just sitting around that it was making his legs shake.

His body had almost completely healed much to Tomé's fascination. She drew blood on a regular basis, unable to give him answers on what he underwent in the prison. Her best guess she could muster had been a form of healing components. He was building muscle mass with minimal effort, his senses were stronger, his reflexes were faster. His temperature maintained an abnormal fever, however. During the trip she had been known to on occasion reach over to touch his forehead and neck, occasionally pulling out the thermometer.

They had arrived in the early evening but Seifer still felt like a stranger, despite the lack of people. He slipped on his sunglasses and lifted the collar of his grey jacket. He wanted to conceal as much of his face as casually as possible. He stepped out in the Parking Garage, closing the door.

"It's Tomé. I'm requesting medic transport assistance in the Parking Garage. I have two patients but one will be coming with me directly. We need to get him prepped for surgery to repair damage to his left shoulder from a dislocation on the field and a fractured collarbone. Patient is Dincht, Zell R. – Yep! I want to get him into surgery as soon as possible...Here, fellas..."

Tomé handed Seifer and Irvine the bags and walked ahead with Zell. Seifer was relieved that he didn't have to listen to Zell bitching about every single bump of the car ride.

 _You don't even know pain..._

He didn't make it a point to wander far. Irvine always followed close by.

"If you want a hat I have a spare." Irvine smiled, strolling up beside Seifer in a loose white tee and brown skinny jeans getup. He slung a leather weekender bag across his body, his mouth curling into a smirk as it always did when he spoke.

Seifer shook his head. Carrying the heavy bags like they weighed nothing. He kept his eyes down, following Tomé and Zell.

"You doin' okay?"

"Fine. It's just... It's been a while."

"Eight years right?" Irvine walked backwards, taking off his cowboy hat, twirling it around. "Well, it'll be fine. It's really not much different."

"If it's not much different, why are we being searched at the door?" Seifer gestured, SeeD Operatives ready to receive them.

"Okay yeah," The hat went back on. "So it's a little different but it won't be hard to acclimate. I haven't been here in about four years. It'll be new for me too, pal."

"Internee Almasy has arrived, sir." Seifer caught the sound of the Operative standing behind the glass wall in a room titled "Weapon's Checkpoint"

 _Awesome. Squall is holding me prisoner._

They cleared the security and Seifer was escorted into Garden with a detail of four SeeD Operatives. Irvine didn't seem to mind them, as he kept eyeing Tomé's backside. Seifer had a hard time keeping his eyes off of her as well.

He was led down a hall titled Disciplinary which incited a chuckle.

 _Isn't this ironic..._

He watched as a young Cadet came in, shook Irvine's hand and went to the wall of black cabinets at the end of the room. He pressed a series of codes on the wall and opened a door, bringing a silver box to the benches where they sat.

"You can either choose to wear this on your ankle or wrist. Which do you prefer?" The Operative opened the box and pulled out a black fabric bracelet attached to a small black rectangle.

Seifer looked to his wrists, the area still pink from the cuffs. He had never liked being restrained. He lifted his leg, pulling up the cuff.

Irvine sighed, "The Commander seems to be awfully paranoid. Why?"

The Operative wrapped the monitoring bracelet around Seifer's left ankle the moment it was exposed. As he clicked the ends together, Seifer heard a click and felt it tighten itself, snug but bearable. The Operative pulled out the flat key from the device, confirming the long strip of blue light illuminated on the top edge of the bracelet's band.

"He's –"

"He's taking precautions... it's fine." Seifer examined the band for a moment before rolling his pant leg back down again.

"Yes. Precautions..." The Operative closed the box. "It is was what the United Council and Garden agreed upon. As long as you're released into our custody, this stays on. This is the rundown of this device – " The Operative stood, showing off the other bracelet from the box and placing it in Seifer's hand.

"What you've got on is an ankle bracelet. It keeps an eye on you when we can't—"

"You're telling me stuff I already know. I got it, the blue light will turn red if I leave the radius I'm granted."

"That's not all though, this is the Detainment edition. If in the event you decide to run away or if you are deemed dangerous to us, that little box there will inject you with a small amount of knock-out juice. Nasty stuff too. With the Detainment Edition, those of us in the Disciplinary Hall and the Commander can track your location from anywhere with it as well as administer a one-time dose of a strong paralytic I'm not at liberty to reveal to you."

"What if I'm allergic?"

"You aren't allergic. I checked."

"What if it goes off while I'm sleeping or walking?"

"Unlikely." The Operative turned to his computer, typing. "Should you feel your central nervous systems shutting down, pulmonary edema, circulatory collapse with loss of peripheral vascular tone, and cardiac arrest has been known to occur...be sure to let someone know."

Seifer rolled his eyes, looking over to Irvine. "Are we done here?" He waited for Irvine to nod before they left the room, their security detail shortly following.

Seeing Garden after nearly nine years caused him to stop in his tracks. Once inside the halls, Seifer felt dizzy, gaining vertigo as he looked at the architecture that was both familiar and new for him.

"Welcome Home." Irvine smirked, shoving his thumbs in his pockets.

"Home." Seifer stated. The word had been missing in his vocabulary.

Irvine reached in his pocket, pulling out two keycards. "Shall we?" He motioned for Seifer to follow. "Cid had Garden grounded again. It's still possible for Garden to function as such but why would we? No need, really."

"I guess since I'm not commanding an entire Galbadian force, there's no need for fear of being blown up." Seifer said to himself.

"Hey man, none of us blame you for that..." Irvine tailed off, watching a group of girls studying him.

"Your door is four down from Squall's. He likes to keep his people close. So...currently enrolled Balamb has about 5,000 students, staff and SeeD. It's pretty close to the numbers at G-Garden." The two strolled into the dormitory halls, newly named 'Living Quarters.' "Balamb Garden is now officially the largest Garden, it being the one who carries some of our more important people...blah blah blah. You've got your High Commander which is Squall, Balamb doesn't have a Field Commander currently because we're not at war, you got your Executive Assistant which is Quistis, then the Lieutenant Commander here is Zell and the ranks go on from there, yadda yadda and so on and so forth – I'm tired of talking about Garden. I can let Squall fill you in on that boring stuff if you want."

"You and Zell are Lieutenant Commanders?" Seifer was amused.

"Well, yeah. I was. Lost my rank so now I'm a boring Lieutenant like Selphie. I loved it though. Definitely mostly for the benefits..." Irvine winked, waving at an operative. "And believe me, the benefits were good. But no big deal, I'll get my job back. This isn't the first time Squall caught me with my hand in the cookie jar."

"Yeah, except you did stick your hand pretty deep in there."

"I'd like to... with her... damn..." Irvine cocked his hat to a pretty little blonde walking by. She smiled, winking back. "Oh hey, honey! I'm here in town for a while, come find me later!"

Seifer didn't want to but he started to really like Irvine. He seemed to have been the only person he ran into from his past that hadn't changed. But while he appreciated it, everything was going way too fast for him. He was unable to keep up with even half of the information he was given, too busy trying to guess how he had somehow found himself standing in the higher ranking halls of the SeeD Operative Quarters. Irvine had placed the keycard into his hand, giving him some space before their meeting with Squall.

In truth, Seifer knew he was off to go chase a pretty blonde and couldn't blame the guy.

It didn't take long for Seifer to find the confidence was back in his step. He felt a stir in the back of his neck as he shuddered. Something was in him that made him feel what he could best describe as power. A hand brushed through his blonde hair as he flipped the keycard in his hand, never dropping it.

The Operative Quarters were fairly sparse. Not many SeeD Operatives wandered or lingered about. Most were just getting to their rooms. He unlocked the door, stepping inside. He turned on the light, looking around.

They had furnished the dorm for him, the style was modern, minimal. Very Garden, in Seifer's standards. On the center table was a mobile phone, datapad and a stack of papers. He picked up the phone, seeing Garden's symbol on the screen when it lit up. He unlocked the phone to see they had restored his old email account. He peeked inside the bathroom, glancing around at the clean fixtures. Seifer couldn't help but wonder how much money Garden was bringing in – everything was updated and modernized. His feet took him to the first bedroom, finding white sheets, blue comforter, two pillows. The beds were bigger here, full size.

 _You gotta do it..._

Seifer stretched his back, falling back on the bed and spreading out. He stretched again, arching his body and letting it completely relax with a loud sigh. A smile crept on his face, the bed was perfect. His leg dangled over the side as he put his hands behind his head, staring at the white ceiling. His eyes felt heavy, his body felt surprisingly weak as he felt the stirring in the back of his mind lull him to sleep.

 _(I can see them...show me more...)_

He felt his hands being pulled from behind his head and to his lower back. Rain poured down his face as he felt the searing pain in his shoulder. He looked down, noting the lack of exit wound. Panicked breaths were all he heard as they lifted him upright. His hands felt tightness around them. Handcuffs. Somebody was reading him his rights.

His head fell low, the rain dripping from his hair. He looked to see the D-District Guards guiding him down the long hallway. Creswell beckoning for him. He planted his feet, fighting as they pushed him along. A guard kicked the back of his legs and he felt weightless.

His eyes opened and he was laying in bed. She was there in his red shirt. The v-neck. He reached out to brush the hair away from her neck, he watched as two men stood in front of the window, blocking the moonlight. The men lifted her out of the bed, the red shirt inched over her swollen belly as they moved her. Seifer reached for it but sank further down into the mattress until he was floating in darkness.

He fell through the bedroom door, unsure of what to say. Her hair fluttered around her, she spoke to him, slapped him and pushed him to the door. Seifer grabbed her delicate wrists, pushing her back and then stepping forward. He could feel the vibrations in his throat as he spoke, but not the words. His hand went to her face as it traced her cheek, jaw, neck, shoulder and arm. Seifer looked into her green eyes, watching as they welled up with tears, as he continued to speak. His gaze stopped on her lips as he leaned in, kissing her.

He fell backwards, disappearing into the darkness as he found his hands reach for a familiar handle. Hyperion. He spun it over his head, feeling it clash against another. His eyes opened and he watched as Squall was running toward him. Seifer summoned the power within him, holding his hand out and releasing a fire spell. He watched as Squall fell backward, ash and embers flew. Seifer lifted Hyperion high over his head, bringing it down. He saw the blood on Squall's face, the rage in his eyes as he stood, dragging Revolver on the ground. He felt the pierce of pain shoot through his face and he staggered, falling to his knees.

Seifer landed on his knees and he looked around, finding himself bound and gagged in Caraway's office. The blonde man in the black coat brought in Fujin & Raijin, bound and gagged. He fought against the restraints. They pushed them to the floor, forcing Seifer to watch as they pressed the guns to their heads and pulled the triggers.

Blood splashed on his face as he heard the squelch. He watched as she staggered, collapsing – he saw strawberry blonde hair – his mother fell to the floor, her blue-green eyes never leaving his, never closing. He watched the blood when it had splashed on his face, watching it as it drained out of the gash in her neck. He felt larger arms hold him tighter, covering his mouth as he cried. Seifer's tiny hands went to the arms, looking up to see a black haired child with those same eyes. Brother. He was no older than five. He looked to Seifer, putting a finger to his lips and hugging him tight against his shirt.

 _(These are your memories... I have restored them...)_

Seifer jerked his body upright, unable to catch his breath.

 _What was that?! Where..._

A knock at the door pushed him to his feet. A silence fell over the room as he slowly approached the door. Another knock.

"Seifer?"

He opened it and found a short girl with brown hair and green eyes.

"Selphie."

"There you are sleepy head!" Her smile brightened as she kicked up a foot. "Are you ready to go? We've been waiting for you, don't forget your key."

Seifer blinked, turning and grabbing the phone and keycard on the table. Selphie closed his door for him, trailing behind him as his long legs rushed to the elevator in the main lobby.

"Don't worry about being late, Squall had some kind of business to deal with so we can slow down... actually I would kind of like it if we did, heels are hard to run in."

Seifer slowed his pace, holding his energy back from wanting to sprint. He didn't know why he was walking so fast. "We normally we don't have late-night meetings but you're kinda special."

"I didn't even look at the clock –"

"Relax, it's only half past seven!" Seifer towered over Selphie, even when she wore heels. She skipped along.

"So they still have you running as the Messenger girl?"

"Oh ha-ha!" Selphie nudged him, her hands in the pockets of her jeans.

They hurried to the elevators, Selphie insisting on pressing the button to go up. They stepped inside with other SeeD Operatives. Seifer leaned against the wall, his senses picking up Squall's cologne, the smell of lavender, the man next to him...

 _Fish. Of all things, fish._

He had just ate a type of fish that made Seifer's mouth taste bile. It overpowered the black coffee, the woman next to him was aroused. Likely to the man who just had the fish. He could the smell of lilac in Selphie's hair. At first it was manageable until his took a deep breath and felt everything at once.

 _Apricot, cocoa, sandalwood, gun oil, skin, fish, blood, hair, mud, dirt, body odor, coffee, sweat, chemicals. So many chemicals._

Everyone's scents mixed together and Seifer retched. He covered his mouth, feeling the senses overwhelming in such tight confines.

 _Do. Not. Puke. Hold it together, Seifer._

Selphie peered behind her, watching as he tried to maintain his breathing. His other hand gripped the handle of the elevator. He could feel the vibrations of the machinations moving the elevator from the tops and the bottom floors, the sound was almost deafening as the wave hit him.

 _I hate tight spaces. Do. Not. Breathe. For the love of it all do not breathe._

"Are you okay?" She had a look of honest concern.

Seifer quickly nodded, keeping his fingers to his lips. "It's..."

"Don't be nervous! It's gonna be okay." She stuck out her tongue.

The two Operatives looked at each other and back at Seifer as he put his hand down, trying not to act like a crazy person. He couldn't open his mouth without tasting the room on top of smelling it. He held up a shaky thumb to his chest, reassuring Selphie. He could feel himself sweating in his red shirt.

"Mmhm." He felt the elevator stop and he slowly moved to the front of the elevator.

The doors swung open to reveal the second floor's empty hall. He fought the urge to vomit as the Operatives brushed past him.

"Seifer?" Selphie reached a hand to his arm.

Seifer forcefully pressed the button to close the doors. He distracted himself from the scents by counting how long he had been holding his breath. It took a few moments but the smells faded, gently seeming to dissipate. He leaned his head against the wall, exhaling.

"I'm okay, Selphie." He cleared his throat. "I think it was just nerves."

"Aw, you're so sensitive! I think that's very endearing in a tall handsome man like yourself!" She winked, smoothing out his sleeve and stepping off the elevator once the doors opened.

 _Was she really flirting with me? No..._

Seifer took his time following Selphie. He needed to prepare himself for this and had lost his chance to do so. He quickly found his feet, sticking his thumbs in his pockets and taking a few strides to catch up.

The doors to the High Commander's office were locked with an electronic sensor. He looked around, noticing the button on the secretary's unoccupied desk. Pressing the button, he rushed to open the doors, letting himself in. He looked behind the desk, seeing noting a recently packed office.

 _Must've been Quistis'..._

Disappointment was on Selphie's face when they noticed the office was empty. She groaned, grabbing Seifer's hand and pulling him back through the doors before they closed.

Selphie stormed through the doors to the conference room, presenting Seifer like a present. "Found him! We can get started!"

Seifer watched heads of his former instructor and schoolmates turn and pause. His eyes immediately fell on Squall, who closed a folder the team had been looking at.

"Look, this gun... it's not been modified, it's been _manufactured._ Look at the barbed cables! BARBED cables, Squall! It's got these mechanisms on it that make some of our grapple guns look like toys."

 _Zell?_

Squall tapped a phone in the palm of his hand, listening to Zell continue. Zell seemed frantic as he tried to explain the girl who he had spent three days in the woods with. None of it seemed real, or with the parts that had, over-embellished. It was obvious he crawled out of an Infirmary bed to come tell Squall this story. His arm and shoulder were still secure in the sling.

"So she jumps out of the tree and is on top of me trying to get this thing out. It gets my shoulder _right_ in the meat back here..." Zell spun, showing Squall the bandaged spot on his back. "She gets it out and this Procedure guy shows up and is telling her to come back because Torrin and her father say so and she's all bowing – I'd show you but it's hard to in this sling – but she's all like, "my life for the Syndicate" all _joyless_ and final and my big thing is "great! She's turned against me. Totally saw that coming – so, Squall, listen to me, pay attention – So she's knelt down by him and this guy is coming for me – she grabs his knife and knocks him down, stabs the guy like it's nothing."

Squall looked away for a second and Zell gripped his arm, shaking him. "No-thing, Squall! She does it to this other person who pops up and it's like this..." He took in a breath, still weak from the medication. "It's like shes this this programmed, conditioned, killer and she ends up saving my life by killing 7 or 8 Syndicate members."

"So?" Squall was confused.

"She makes our toughest Ops look like tactless idiots! And she's like, not even the best one. She takes this grapple gun, she kills a guy for it and we get on that dirt road that leads to Obel Lake?"

"Obel Lake..."

"Obel Lake! There's this train coming and it's like something from out of a movie. I suggest that she uses the grapple gun on the train, and she is all for it naturally –"

"Because a programmed, conditioned, merciless killer would do that – _naturally_." Irvine added.

Zell puts his hand to his head, tugging at his hair, frustrated at Squall who maintained the same tired, bored expression. "Nngh! She does this running jump at me, and we fly up to the train which feels like it's really far but it wasn't. The train felt like it was going super fast but it really wasn't, but it was just so crazy!"

Tomé stepped inside, bringing an intern and a wheelchair. She smiled at Seifer, politely scooting past him. Seifer watched Squall as he gave a simple nod, his eyes on Tomé.

"Okay, that's the last time I try to take a coffee break when Zell's in my care..." She placed her hands on his good arm, pulling him to the chair. "Apologies, Commander."

"Just a sec Tomé, so we're up there and she fixes my dislocated shoulder and then nearly kills me because I hit her – okay so that's like because of my natural reaction to pain –"

"Naturally," Irvine added, arms crossed as he sat in his chair.

"Naturally – and she ends up standing up and then going to the other end of the train and jumping off. I couldn't move because of the shoulder but I want us to find her, Squall – she has information like – I can't even begin to..." He looked at Tomé, holding a syringe in his arm, plunger down. She smiled sweetly at him as she got him sat in the wheelchair. "She knows Sei...woah..." Zell's head lolled back in the chair as he was rolled out. "Look up that name, Squall!"

Seifer watched as the intern bowed their head and closed the doors. When he turned his head back, Squall was staring at him. He stared right back, waiting for Squall to speak.

Squall's brow furrowed, seeming to have a difficult time finding the words. "Do you know why you're here?"

The lingering taste of gun oil from the elevator seemed to loom around him, forcing his mouth to tighten. He looked around the room, all eyes on him. "Actually I'd like to know that myself…" Seifer approached the edge of the table, his hands on the white leather chair that sat in front of him. His eyes went up to Squall, innocent. "But...I heard that Irvine took advantage of you after getting you drunk and Quistis called up _all_ your friends like the gossip girl she is." He took a seat, his hands resting on the arms as he crossed his leg.

Squall sighed, "Actually, that's correct. Thanks to my lack of abilities to command with authority," Squall shot a glare to Quistis and Irvine, "I am now stuck with an injunction that prevents you from returning to D-District until we deem the threat of the Syndicate has been eliminated."

Seifer knew it was all too good to be true. "So this is all temporary."

Squall turned to the screen at the back wall and his fingers went to his phone. "Well, not quite. This is where it get's really interesting."

" _This is Dr. Nilson Creswell. I am the Chief researcher on Project Guardian. My colleagues and I have dedicated our lives to creating a... a weapon that will revolutionize and shape our world."_

 _Project Guardian..._

The words reverberated in his chest, he felt a sharp pain behind his eyes as Seifer watched on screen the video that had been recorded.

" _... this is where I will have shown you the birth of a God."_

" _You're insane...That doesn't look like a God to me, doctor. This is insanity. Have you lost your mind?!"_

"You see, this was the night my Operatives decided to go rogue. That's why you weren't medically treated in Galbadia Garden, but in Winhill." Squall skipped ahead.

Seifer felt like he was going to vomit. He barely recognized the feral look he wore on his face in the video. Misery slid through his body. He kept his composure around the group, he didn't want to be perceived as weak.

" _I will begin now by administering the first segment into Patient X. We are very confident that our results will prove to be fruitful."_

Quistis made a whimpering sound as she covered her mouth. Selphie watched, completely frozen as Seifer's body writhed in agony on screen. The heart monitor rang in his ears. He glanced at Irvine, watching as he leaned back, legs propped on a chair as he watched on. Squall stood at the front, seeming to study Seifer's reactions.

" _Sir? SeeD Operatives are here and they brought this?"_

" _A 337 isn't stopping this. We've come too far."_ Creswell watched Seifer, his eyes never leaving him as he pulled out a phone, pressing it to his ear. _"Wren? It's Creswell. SeeD Operatives are here. Stall them. Keep them away as long as you can..."_

Flatline.

Seifer's palms rubbed together, feeling remnants of the pain in his body. He watched as his body stopped moving completely, his eyes straight up to the ceiling as Tomé pushed through the group of people. He covered his face, unable to watch.

Squall skipped ahead. "The entire process of the experiment was under four minutes before your heart gave out. Your peak temperature recorded was at 112.2 degrees. That means your body went from the recorded 98.7 to 112.2 in just under four minutes."

"Impossible." Selphie whispered, shaking her head.

"Seifer." Squall paused. "You're here because SeeD operatives Kadowaki and Kinneas seized a video that proves to the Unified Council that this doctor was conducting experiments that are not authorized by the UC. You're here because you are the only test subject that survived this gruesome treatment. That tells me that it worked. That stored inside of you right now is a biological weapon. Dr. Creswell said that–"

Seifer's leg began to shake. "Can you remove it?"

"We tried."

"It was entered into my bloodstream. Can't you... replace my blood or filter it out or something?" Seifer started to sound shaky. He closed his fist, maintaining composure. He wanted it out of his body, whatever it was.

Squall looked down at the papers in front of him.

"That was the first thing Tomé tried, Seifer." Irvine's voice broke the silence. "Once she got you in Winhill, she and Dr. K filtered the blood, gave you new blood and the data is still present."

"How can you tell?" Seifer shook his head. "What am I going to do?"

"It's clear that you didn't ask for this." Selphie looked to Seifer with pity.

"We plan to keep you here until we can determine the threat has been declared cleared."

"Here in Garden?" Seifer felt like his head was going to explode. "No, no, what if this thing never leaves my body?"

"We can cross that threshold at a later date." Quistis smiled. "Tomé thinks that our best course of action is to continue with transfusions, we filter the blood until it's completely out of your system."

"So far the only real symptoms aside from the initial catalyst..."

 _Heightened sense of smell, taste, sound, touch, sight... faster reflexes..._

He watched as Quistis turned a page in the folder. "...And you're exceptionally healthy. You've steadily started to fill out in your body and the color of your skin is coming back..."

 _Strength, energy... the uncontrollable thoughts and urges... the trances... the nightmares. The memories..._

Seifer kept his thoughts to himself. He didn't need the others to think he was insane or needed a reason to lock him away or worse. He watched Squall's mouth move but he couldn't seem to hear the words he was saying.

 _Things could always be worse._

"And you'll have access to all of the facilities. In time..."

 _Training center..._

"Yep, great." He stood, cutting Squall off. "I'm gonna go clear my head about all of this."

"Did you hear anything we said?"

"Yes. I can go to the training center because I have access to the first floor levels. You're keeping me here, transfusions and specific diet, once I'm free and clear you'll re-evaluate my case and I am free to go. My charges and execution will be thrown out because I technically died and you can't charge a dead body with attempted murder. Dream come true." Seifer turned to leave, almost in a daze.


	12. Force Your Way

The only sound in the Training Center aside from the water running was the sound of Squall's boots hitting the ground. Deciding to go back and change before coming here, he had to stop and pick up two weapon cases before changing out of his office clothes. Rough dark grey distressed jeans, white v-neck shirt and a belt. It felt liberating to get out of the dress shirts, oxfords and pressed 'herringbone' patterned fabrics. He followed the trail of Grat corpses, annoyed that he would need to dispatch a team to gather more.

 _Curious if Seifer is keeping anything from us about this weapon... I don't feel safe with him roaming free. Maybe I can draw it out of him..._

He stepped over the Grat appendages as he entered into the second tier of the center, finding a freshly slayed Death Claw, split open.

 _For someone who only a matter of weeks was sickly and weak... this is concerning._

Squall walked across the water, keeping an eye for his long-time rival. He finally caught him sitting on a rock in the back near the secret area. His shirt was damp, a dark grey fluid stained it, patches of white barely showed through. He cleaned the blade of a starter gunblade with a rag.

"What is that?"

Seifer looked down at his shirt, pulling the clinging white tee from his abdomen. The closer Squall approached Seifer the more he realized he was covered in the substance. Tiny small black spots covered his body.

"I can't get enough." Seifer looked almost confused by the concept, wiping his brow with a forearm. "I'm exhausted but I can't get enough..."

"You've got... what, about five years of fight to catch up on?" Squall took a calmer approach with Seifer. He turned to set the cases down on the ground and knelt over them.

"You hardly ever fight I'm guessing..." Seifer uncrossed his legs, looking at the blade in his hand. "You're probably too busy wearing your pressed pants and polished fancy shoes to remember how to hold a blade. In D-District? If I wasn't fighting I was dreaming of fighting..."

"Well, not really. When I was an Instructor, I used to take my students out for field exams as often as possible. It gave me a chance to hone my skills."

" _Instructor_ _Leonhart_..." Seifer rolled his eyes. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Squall reached in his back pockets, pulling out his gloves. He ran his thumbs across the leather. They had seen him through many battles. "I can't seem to get rid of you."

The only sound between them was the roar of the waterfall.

Seifer shook his head, looking around. "Yeah... something tells me you wish you had _."_

 _Not really, Seifer..._

The sound of metal caught Seifer's attention as he spun around seeing Squall pull Seifer's Hyperion out of its own case. He didn't realize Squall brought it. Sheathed in its holster, Squall tossed the weapon. Seifer caught and held the blade in his hands, almost as if he were looking at a ghost. "I thought I would never see it again..." Squall watched as Seifer looped the belt into his jeans, the weight of his steel seeming to catch him off-guard.

"I'm curious to see how you do on a one-on-one scenario after all this time..."

Seifer's fascination quickly changed to annoyance. "I can tell you came out here to rile me up to fight. It's not going to work but thanks for returning Hyperion back to it's rightful owner." He turned on his heel, walking towards the exit. "Appreciate it."

 _Need to get him to fight..._

Squall chuckled, taunting him. "Never thought I'd see the day the mighty ' _Fallen Sorceress' Knight_ ' would turn down a battle with his sworn enemy."

"Don't ever call me that again." Seifer shot Squall a stern look, resting his hand on his holster as he walked away from the invitation. "I killed that dream long ago..."

 _You don't get to leave._

Squall's smile quickly faded. Frustrated, he charged into Seifer—shoving him against a tree. Seifer winced, holding onto his arm. A sharp branch jabbed him hard, the deep red blood slowly seeped through the shirt. He looked up at Squall, stunned. His hand covered the wound. "That fucking hurt Squall—"

 _That's right..._

"Come on!" Squall drew his gunblade, taking a few steps back. "What happened? Forget how to fight? Can't fight anything _above_ your level? Is that why I've got a mess of dead low-level Grats? Pathetic..."

Squall lunged, watching Seifer jump back. "What the _fuck_ is your problem!?"

Squall charged, shoving the taller man again. "Come on... I know you've been dying to hit me...did you forget that I left you to die in that cell? Did you forget why you were in there in the first place? C'mon... react, Seifer – Hit me. I've been dying for a fight."

Seifer shook his head, turning to walk away. Squall shoved him forward. The moment Seifer turned around, he swung his fist, hitting Seifer square in the jaw.

Seifer winced, cracking his jaw. His eyes held a thirst for blood that Squall hadn't seen in a long time, "Oh, you're gonna regret that, Leonhart."

Swayed, Seifer drew Hyperion out of its sheath. Squall listened as the blade almost hummed as it came out of the sheath. Seifer took no time at all to begin slashing, Squall quickly blocked and struck back.

"Is that your best? Show me... " Squall slapped Seifer's back with the side of his blade, causing the blonde to stumble. Squall prepared for Seifer's riposte. Their sword play was rapid, both equally parried and blocked. They hacked like lightning, constantly attacking one another. They were almost perfectly matched but Squall was starting to feel weak while Seifer seemed to get stronger.

Squall raised Revolver high, feeling the jolt of Seifer's block. The clash was loud enough to be heard in the entire Center. He lost control of the weapon and felt Seifer's elbow connect with his nose. He stumbled, falling back. He looked down to his shirt, seeing the blood dripping.

"Is this what you wanted?" Seifer growled. "You're starting to lose... maybe I should finish what I wanted to do years ago..." Seifer raised Hyperion, suddenly stopping as he turned his head to the waterfall.

Squall scrambled, jumping to his feet and lifting Revolver. Hack, slash. Dodge, parry. He watched as Seifer shoved him back, "Stop!"

 _I don't hear anything..._

"Is this a trick?" Squall took back his statement when they could both feel the vibrations in the ground rising. Something was below them. Suddenly they both heard it clear as a bell over the noise of the waterfall—a low rumble and then a piercing wail.

"What else is in here?" Seifer dropped his blade, looking to Squall. Squall kept his head to the ground, walking backwards toward the exit.

 _The containment chamber..._

The two rivals winced as they heard the sound of metal screeching together. Something large was tearing and ripping apart underneath the floors. They watched as the steel plated floors began to bubble from a physical force. The sound of the metal grinding forced them to jump as glints of teeth shone through the grates as the creature below let out the sound of a roar, a threat.

 _That's not good._

"Squall, what's in here!?" Squall stepped backwards, putting his hand out to Seifer's chest. He pulled him back with him, watching the metal begin to dent upwards, following them.

Suddenly, they watched as giant black claw pushed through. Red scales reflected in the light, speckles of orange and black sparkled as it pulled itself up. It's head ripped the hole open wider as the horns flung pieces of thick steel and rebarb at their feet. They felt the whoosh of wind as the wings spread out, lifting the creature above the floor.

The Ruby Dragon turned it's face directly to them. It sucked in a rattly breath of air and opened it's mouth, releasing a shrill roar. It was hungry, angry. The Ruby Dragon, taking advantage of the rivals' guards being down, whipped his tail around and knocked them both backwards. The force threw Squall into the brush, knocking the wind out of him. Squall looked around, trying to find Seifer.

He had found himself back on his feet, his arm sporting a new gash. Seifer planted his feet and lifted Hyperion, posturing. "COME ON!" Seifer ducked and rolled forward. The dragon clawed for Seifer as he jumped backward, successfully evading it. Squall watched as Seifer flawlessly dodged another attack, his feet carrying him to a different position, lifting his gunblade and slicing through one of its large wings like paper. A piercing roar came from the dragon as Seifer pulled the gunblade straight through, going in for another attack.

 _I have to help..._

Squall rose with a leap, charging toward the dragon, evading its fiery breath. He stopped and back pedaled, watching as another Ruby Dragon crawled out of the hole, ready for a fresh kill. It launched ahead of Squall, blocking the exit as in whipped its tail toward him. Snapping every chance it had.

Squall on the defensive, he began to slash at the dragon and ran to Seifer. "We need to put the Training Center on lockdown!"

"What's this 'we' talk? I think I might just leave you in here!"

"Seifer..."

Seifer swung Hyperion at the Ruby Dragon, cutting its throat open. Its deep red blood gushed as it splattered on the ground in thick bursts.

The dragon keeled over, groaning low and loud. Its front feet kicked and flailed as it died a slow death. Seifer turned to Squall; blood from the dragon had sprayed across his shirt, leaving deep crimson stains, soaking into his clothes, his skin.

"We're not finished..." He wiped away sweat and lunged at Squall, a flurry of slashes. Without delay, Squall parried and spun around behind Seifer, kicking him to the ground with the heel of his boot. "What the hell are you doing?!"

As the Ruby Dragon charged towards them, Squall watched as Seifer laughed, blood crazed. He stood slowly, weightless. Squall watched the shirt that clung to the muscles of Seifer's shirt, watching them almost pulse, ripple. He stepped back, watching as Seifer turned. There was something wrong about the look he gave to Squall.

He stood, turning his back to the Dragon and kept his eyes on Squall. The look was fierce and malevolent as that of a hunter that had finally found it's prey.

Seifer looked hungry.

Squall flinched, feeling a sharp pulse as an almost inhuman strength clashed with his sword. He fell back, blocking again as Hyperion slammed into the ground beside him, sparks hitting the side of Squall's face. He rolled away, resuming their battle, completely oblivious to the Ruby Dragon trying to catch one of them in it's teeth.

In a blinding series of clashes, Seifer forced Squall to parry repeatedly, leaving Seifer wide open. Squall let out a shout as he took his shot and lunged forward under Seifer's swinging gunblade and slammed into him. As they fell into the wall, Seifer's back hit the alarm trigger. Red lights flashed in the trees and walls of the Training Center. The Ruby Dragon was furious.

The ferocious cries of the dragon amplified over the sound of the wailing siren. "That thing is pissed, we need to leave!" Squall ordered at Seifer, who had a blank expression on his face. "Seifer?!" Squall shook Seifer's shoulders, watching as the color of his eyes drained, turning completely black.

 _The weapon...?_

"Seifer –"

Seifer's emotionless expression looked to Squall and him with enough force to throw him back several feet. Inhuman. Squall looked down, his skin burned from where Seifer had touched it. He looked up, watching as Seifer walked toward the monster with no fear.

Seifer stopped in front of the beast, spun his gunblade and caught its hilt. The Dragon shoved it's face to the ground, desperately trying to get it's teeth sunk into Seifer.

Seifer continuously dodged what attacks the dragon could hurl at him with no effort. He watched as Seifer turned to look at him, but it wasn't Seifer. Squall's eyes went from Seifer's possessed eyes to the black claws that were swiping down toward his back.

"SEIFER!" Squall's heart jumped as he saw the Dragon's giant claws swipe down. Seifer turned and flanked the dragon, cheating death.

Squall watched in horror as Seifer gripped Hyperion tightly, charging toward the beast. Seifer launched into the air, Hyperion high over his head as he brought in down. Squall watched as a powerful black energy burst from Seifer's back, tearing through the shirt. He watched as they manifested into chains and whipping tendrils, black and oozing in oil. They surrounded Seifer, wrapping around his arms, legs, body and crept toward the blade.

It wasn't the pulsing energy that shook Squall to his very core but the guttural, haunting roar of something truly horrifying, monstrous. He fell to his knees, his breath taken out of his body. He was paralyzed, feeling a sensation crawling into his mind and sifting through memories, dreams, fears.

Silence. Darkness.

The ancient voice crept inside as Squall saw Ultimecia flash in his mind, Squall was bound beneath her as he felt his life force drain from his body transforming him into a husk. He saw his daughter, tears rolling down her face as his hands pressed his weight into her. In his hands he felt her tiny bones crumble as her body turned to dust. The Garden burned, bodies were strewn and scattered. The fallen comrades he called friends. Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa... all calling for him as they were all set to burn. He watched as he fell on his knees, his daughter's lifeless body in his arms as the darkness came for him.

Squall screamed, forcing the voice out of his mind as he shuddered. His body felt cold, numb. Flickers of the visions in his mind made him feel as small as a child.

Another shrill roar.

The dragon screeched, pained by the chains wrapping around its neck, dragging it forward. Squall couldn't see Seifer, he had been completely swallowed in this terrifying black mass.

Squall watched as the gunblade came up again and slam down a second time, instantly separating large beast's neck from it's body. As its two very dead halves fell over, its body began to disintegrate, a strange white hue emitting from it.

He trembled, unable to move as he watched Seifer stagger back, the chains disintegrating, the tendrils creeping back inside of Seifer. The ones that didn't shattered and disintegrated. He was breathing still, somehow he was breathing.

"Seifer..."

Seifer dropped Hyperion, releasing hard wincing breaths as he collapsed.

"Seifer!" Squall scrambled to Seifer's side, rolling him to his back. He watched as Seifer grimaced, dropping his arms out around him. Seifer's hands seemed to have begun emitting a black energy from his fingertips, the veins in his wrists and arms were black. Squall looked to the remains of his former weapon. Hyperion was finished, it's blade warped, melted at the hilt. The alarms had stopped ringing, only the red lights flashing around them remained. "Open your eyes, Seifer..."

Squall watched as Seifer's eyes opened. Blue-green, clear. He rubbed his face, his body slow as he stared at Squall for the longest time. "Seifer say something..."

"What do you want me to say?" Seifer's words came out tired, slurred. "You hit like a fucking pussy by the way..."

Squall looked around, watching as the SeeD Operatives came charging in. Weapons drawn, medical team following close behind. Selphie and Irvine came at the ready, stopping as they looked at the two slain dragons and the dozens of Grats that lay all around the Training Center.

 _None of this makes sense..._

"Sefier, what's the last thing you remember?"

Seifer looked up, rubbing his eyes. He looked like he was fine, healthy, even. "Um..." He rubbed his jaw, moving his mouth as it cracked. "You hit me in the face."


	13. One Last Time

**Note: Adult Content Warning**

* * *

"So it was true all along? The experiments..."

"Yes." Quistis showed Zell the screens from the video. "They called it Project Guardian. From what we've recently learned, they were trying to merge Seifer with some kind of Guardian Force. We are still trying to find the documentation from it in the Centran archives but we aren't finding anything. I figured that's a job best for Know-It-All-Zell."

He took the datapad, skipping forward. "Most of the GF's from Centra are almost impossible to catch. Odin for instance, he only came when he wanted, remember?" Zell groaned sadly, looking at the papers laying on his bed. He let out a louder groan as he shifted his weight, the surgery went very well, but he was still in a lot of pain. She watched as he reached for his pain pills, popping two at once and taking a drink of water. There were concerns Quistis had with as often as he took his pain pills. She didn't want to see Zell fall into the lines of addiction. The sling he had arrived in had been replaced with a mesh sleeve that limited his movement stretching to his other shoulder. "It may be a while before I'm back up." He looked to Quistis. "Tomé has me starting therapy as soon as possible. There was some pretty bad damage but it could've been a lot worse, I guess."

"It just means you can't go run off and be a badass for a few months. Absolutely no heavy lifting! That includes using grapple guns to hitch rides to Winhill." Quistis maintained encouragement in her voice but she could tell something else was bothering Zell. He had started to become withdrawn, any attempts to draw him out of his behavior made it worse. She was concerned he was becoming depressed.

She watched as he started chewing on his thumbnail, a habit she thought he broke years ago and was seeing him do it more and more. "Any information on her?"

Quistis looked to her hands, shaking her head. "Squall's kept me busy with Seifer. I tried to look a few things up for you and I couldn't find anything... She's Syndicate so I doubt they have a database with that information."

"She said that she came from Esthar. See what records you can find there." Zell took the papers in Quistis' hand, scanning them. "Zell, if you'll just let me ask Seifer–"

Zell shook his head, setting the papers in his lap. "No. Absolutely not. I want to find her first before Seifer knows about her... don't ask me why – I just do."

"Sounds like you have a bit of a crush on our enemy." She winked, waiting for the smile that never came to Zell's mouth as he bit his thumb.

"No, it's not a crush." Zell put the pages in a sloppy stack on the table by the bed. "She and I have history, and I just want to make sure she's alive. There's some kind of connection we have. I honestly think that if she weren't a killer she'd be someone that..." His eyes drifted. "She'd be an awesome friend... _is_ an awesome friend. I don't know."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Quistis, I'm not interested in anybody right now, and most definitely not the daughter of the guy who held a knife to my throat on live television talking about revolutions and killing off my people." Zell sighed, looking down at his arm. "I don't know what I want. I just want the thing that everyone else seems to squander." Zell caught himself and put a hand to his face. "Sorry. That wasn't directed at you. I'm glad you're not fired but are you really sure you want to leave? Things are probably going to get scary. We're gonna need you."

Quistis sighed, almost regretting telling him about the transfer. "I can always come visit. You could always do the same."

"I won't be going to Galbadia for a long while... probably a good idea I don't show my face outside Garden for a while..." Zell's hand went to the closed cut that stretched across his tattoo. He seemed almost ashamed of it.

"Well, G-Garden has an awesome staff, great people, and they have an office waiting for me. I think it'll be a nice change."

"But Syndicate. They are hunting SeeD for sport. I'm kind of scared for you." Zell must have had reason to say it. He had more experience with them than anyone else.

"I'll be careful." She kissed his cheek, grabbing her papers and standing. "I'm actually pretty good at protecting myself, Zell. I'm not a helpless..."

"Princess?" Zell didn't hesitate to take the jab at Rinoa. "Sorry."

"I don't have any issues with Rinoa, she doesn't trust me around Squall. I'm doing good keeping my distance, which I think speaks volumes." She turned to walk out the room.

"Hey..." Zell sat up, standing carefully. "This stuff about the assassin. She's has an obvious history with Seifer and thought he had been executed. There's something there that we don't know about."

"Like what?" Quistis rested her hands on her hip.

"I think she was taken by Caraway and Seifer went to get her back and everything went to hell after that. I don't know. Squall also made it a point tell me to keep the information from Seifer. At least for now. If Seifer knows she's alive he may try to escape to find her."

"I'll keep quiet. I'm leaving tomorrow anyway." Quistis turned, hearing Zell call for her again.

Zell pulled her into a careful hug, squeezing her back. "Take care of yourself and... please be careful."

Quistis nodded, touching his good shoulder and leaving his quarters.

It was late, only a scattered few students and operatives remained in the Garden. Most of them were running laps, the others heading to their rooms. It was a Friday night, several had spent their time outside Garden.

She met Squall at the end of the hall, he was waiting for her. "Hey." Squall walked beside her as she kept silent. Quistis kept a respectable distance, her eyes forward.

"Zell's starting to turn into old you. He's worn the same black clothes for the last week and isn't himself. I think he's getting depressed. I'm worried about him forming a pill habit too..." She walked in long strides. "How is Seifer?"

"Fine. His test results are improving but the transfusions aren't making any difference in the energy that's reading in his blood. The blood samples Tomé is taking are showing that his blood type isn't registering in the system. She's sending it to be analyzed for DNA analysis. Whatever it was that they put in his body may have changed the entire structure of what makes Seifer human. Brain scans show he's using more of his brain most normal humans. It's strange. But the good news is that his last evaluation proved he has shown no signs of aggression or active junctioning since the incident with the Ruby Dragon."

"So no more punching him in the face to make him do what you want, then." She caught the look Squall shot her without having to move her eyes from the hall. "I guess we keep to the best course of action, considering this is a first for us to hear about junctioning to a person."

Squall stopped, his hands going to the back pockets of his black slacks. "Well, not since Ultimecia."

"Oh my..." Quistis took a deep breath, realizing she had completely forgotten their battle with Griever. The memories flooded back, she heard the wicked laughter that echoed on that rock. The fierce roar coming from the most powerful GF any of them had ever seen.

Squall let out a quiet chuckle, "Yeah. I forgot about it too until I was talking with Seifer about it. He never heard the details about it."

They continued to walk but Quistis was rattled. She had to remind herself about the amnesiac effects of the use of GF. She felt Squall's hand on her back, reassuring her with a pat of comfort.

"How do," She took another deep breath, composing herself. "How do we um, unjunction him?"

"Seifer suggested for us to kill him."

 _Kill him!?_

Quistis stopped again. Watching to see if Squall had been playing a joke on her. His same even stare maintained with hers. He put a hand up, shaking his head. "We're not killing him. But... he's been in isolation for the past two weeks. I think that being in a single sterile white cell with people peeking in on you makes you a bit insane. Irvine and Selphie are pushing for me to give him the first floor privileges again."

"What are you doing to do?"

Squall fumbled with the keycard attached to his belt. "We have students here. It is our responsibility to protect them. I know I screwed up when I provoked him. I just... needed to see it. I needed to see if Seifer could control it – whatever it was."

Quistis watched him as he reflected back. His hands began to shake. "It...I thought it had crawled in my head and draw out my worst nightmares, whatever it was. I saw things..." He shuffled his feet, trying to focus. "But I haven't had the nightmares since. I'm sleeping at night again. Whatever it was, it scared me more than Ultimecia."

They reached his door, Squall extended the keycard and unlocked his door. He turned to Quistis, offering for her to come inside.

"I can't."

"It's not... just.. please?" Squall seemed to be relieved, more spirited than she had seen him since taking the position. Could it have been because they kept away from one another?

 _I'll be gone tomorrow._

"Goodnight, Commander." She folded her hands, walking down the hall, feeling his eyes on her. The moment she heard his door close she stopped.

 _Don't do it. Do not go back there._

She started to turn but stopped herself, closing her fists and pressing them to her legs.

 _You will regret it if you do...but..._

Quistis ignored her thoughts, her body tightened the closer she reached his door. She held out her fist, taking in a breath and knocking.

 _You'll regret it if you don't._

Squall opened the door, almost as if he had expected her to come back. He moved aside, letting her enter. Perhaps he was getting ready to come to her.

Quistis brushed past him, her heart thrumming in her chest. She couldn't stop herself and let the words come out. It was either now or never. "I was approved for a transfer to Galbadia Garden."

Listening to the sound of silence falling in the room she turned to Squall, frozen, still holding the door open. She watched as his expression turned to sadness, his lips parting to make a silent 'oh.'

Quistis knew that it was loneliness that drove him to her, so why did she feel this way? Why did she let him make her feel this way?

"I'm sorry." Quistis started to the door but stopped, Squall slowly pressed it closed with his fingertips. Her pulse quickened as he closed in on her, his hands gently brushing away the hair from her shoulder. He looked at her, the same look he gave that night. The night when he –

Squall reached for her arms, pulling her into his chest. Quistis let out a sharp gasp as his hands wrapped to her face, his mouth on hers. Everything was a blur as Quistis' hands went to his chest to push him back. He was quick to snatch them up, pushing her to the wall. Quistis' felt the photo frame on the wall clatter and fall as he pinned her hands to the wall. She released a moan when he broke the kiss, moving his lips down her neck.

A small smile playing on her face as his hands left her hands to tear open her blouse. She heard the buttons clatter to the floor and roll away as she felt his hands sliding down her thighs and dragged his hands back up, lifting her skirt and stopping at the curve of her ass. He shot her a coy look when he learned she hadn't worn panties.

Squall wasted no time. He swept Quistis up to carry her as her legs wrapped around his hips. His toned arms laid her gently on the bed and climbed on top of her. As she fumbled with his belt and pants, Squall continued to kiss her neck while undoing the clasps of her black lace bra. He leaned down to her, tucking a tendril of blonde hair behind her ear before capturing parted lips in a long and passionate kiss.

Instinctively Quistis raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, trying in vain to force his lips down harder against her own. He went straight to her breasts, kissing and gently nipping at her hardening pink nipples. She exhaled, drawing in a sharp breath when Squall's mouth touched her. Her hands managed to pull off his belt and undo his pants, and as he leaned against her, she was pleased to find he was stiff and ready for her.

Her hand wrapped around his member, feeling how he shuddered when she began pumping. Squall made a small noise in the back of his throat, quickly exhaling as he thrust into her hand. She gasped, watching the way how his supple lips parted, the tiny hint of his white teeth peeking out. She watched as his eyebrows seemed to wrinkle even when he felt pleasure. He gripped the headboard, making it creak as Quistis leaned up, kissing his chest as she stroked his erection. Her tongue danced around his nipples, feeling the tiny hairs that grew around them.

She felt his hand replace hers. She moaned, feeling the head of his cock tease her entrance, his brilliant blue eyes gazed deeply into hers as he thrust himself into her. Quistis could feel his cock fill her up, making her arch her back as he reached back on the headboard, thrusting in forcefully, reaching his cock in even deeper than before.

It was clear that Squall needed this more than she did. He dipped his head down to her breasts as he plunged deep in and out of her, sharp groans came from his throat as he moved into her with sharp thrusts. Quistis wrapped her legs tight, her calves resting on his bare ass.

Her hands felt the outline of his ribs as they reached his back, feeling the lean muscle under her hands. She brought her hands lower, gripping onto his sculpted ass and brought his body deeper into hers. She felt as his hips moved faster, eyes watching her, his breaths becoming shorter, halting. Squall leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers.

Quistis cried out, arching her back. She felt the orgasm quake over her body, shimmering lights bursting in her tightly closed eyes. Her body bucked as she felt him give a final thrust before pulling out of her. Her hands went right back to his cock, milking him until his orgasm spilled out onto her thighs. She loved watching his expressions, feeling his hot breath as he panted, watching how his body trembled as his thrusts slowed to a halt.

Squall fell to his back beside her, rubbing the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. He closed his fists, cracking his knuckles and rested them on his stomach. Quistis drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she lifted her head to lay on Squall's arm.

"You're still leaving aren't you?" Squall broke the silence, his head turned down to hers.

Quistis couldn't admit it to him. It was everything to her to be with the man she loved but she knew that it wouldn't work. Not now. Squall loved his daughter and because of that love, he still had feelings for Rinoa. Quistis was aware she could never compete with that and didn't want to, not anymore. She rolled over, kissing his arm as she snuggled close, closing her eyes and running her hand along the small trail of hair on his chest. She felt him nuzzle into her hair, his fingers moving to interlock with hers.

The next morning she woke to the sound of his phone vibrating beside her. She opened her eyes and found he had rolled over to face the wall. She smiled, watching as his chest rose and fell in calm, even shallow breaths. The phone vibrated again and she turned to the end table, reaching for it.

" _806-A…ALMASY HAS ESCAPED DISCPL WARD. [END OF MESSAGE]."_

"Squall!" Quistis sat up, shaking at Squall. He roused with a moan, quickly rolling over to take his phone. The message jarred him awake and he kicked off the sheets as he rolled out of the bed, throwing on clothes. "He's in the Cafeteria...what time is it? Shit, students are in there..."

"What do I do?" She threw on her clothes, realizing that her blouse was ruined.

"I don't know, Qusitis, I need to get down there before he..." Squall didn't finish his sentence. He fumbled with the pants he wore yesterday and slipped them on, throwing on his shoes and grabbing his shirt. "FUCK!" He rushed out the door in a flash, leaving Quistis standing there naked. She reached in Squall's closet, looking for something of Rinoa's to wear.

 _Rinoa... I'm so sorry for all of this..._

She found a white button down, it was tight across the chest but it would do. Quistis zipped up her skirt, opening Squall's door and chasing after him barefoot.

Students and operatives watched as their High Commander hastily ran down the hall. Quistis picked up her pace, nodding and smiling, reassuring students that everything was fine.

 _Perfect. Now everyone knows..._

"Please return to your dorms, Operative, call Ryzia and issue a Level 3 Lockdown please, it's just a drill! Nothing to be worried about!"

 _What a mess..._

She exited out of the Dormitory wing, everything seeming to be okay so far. Quistis feared the worst... Students crowded around the entrance as Squall stood, waiting for Irvine to retrieve Revolver.

"I'm going in there by myself. Just... everybody stay back."

"Squall..." Quistis pushed past the students, following him. "Squall!"

"I don't want to kill him, Quistis..." Squall muttered, Revolver swinging by his side.

"Is anyone injured?"

"No, they said he somehow unlocked the door and just stepped out." Squall cracked the knuckles in his hand and brushed the hair from his eyes.

"Wait a minute, so this could just be a misunderstanding –" Squall stopped, putting a hand to her chest, blocking her from going further.

"You didn't see..." His eyes trailed away from hers. "Nobody saw..." Squall kept walking, crazed. "Nobody saw the things I saw... I know it sounds crazy but... I don't know, Quistis..."

Quistis followed him behind, Irvine not far back. She watched as Squall raised Revolver and kicked the swinging double doors to the cafeteria open. He froze, slowly taking a step back and lowering Revolver.

Quistis and Irvine charged in right after, seeing a normal cafeteria. Students that were near the doors when Squall kicked them in turned to look, some making humorous remarks about their High Commander's frantic appearance. Quistis watched as Selphie stood from her seat, flagging them down.

"Heeeyyy! What's going on?" Selphie called them over, sitting back down.

Quistis rushed ahead, breezing past the round tables and seeing Seifer sitting behind one of the pillars across from the perky girl in the purple dress. He looked up, his mouth in mid-chew. He wore a white rolled up button down shirt, jeans, slip on leather shoes. Seifer apparently had time to go to his room to get cleaned up for breakfast.

"Instructor."

"Wait..." Quistis held a hand up, completely dumbfounded.

"I was hungry." Seifer spoke matter-of-factly. "I'll go back to the containment room if you want but I needed a break." He sighed, another huge bite of eggs and grits shoveled in his mouth. "I was _really_ hungry."

"He can't stop eating. It's kind of hilarious to watch. It's like, where's it all going, right?" Selphie stole the fruit dish from Seifer's tray, munching away on the grapes. "Did something happen?"

Quistis turned to watch Squall approach, his hands closing his shirt. She turned to watch as Seifer cocked his head to the side, drinking his coffee. "Mornin'."

 _Something about him... what's so different?_

"You breached your cell? For breakfast?" Squall's tone was quiet. "You didn't think to wait until we released you today?"

"Squall, if I stayed another _minute_ in that cell I was going to start gleefully ramming my head into the wall until my brains spilled out." Seifer smiled, handing him his coffee. "Drink that, you look a bit disheveled." His blue-green eyes darted between Quistis and Squall. There was no way he could have known.

Quistis took a seat, trying to point out what it was that made Seifer so different.

Squall sat in his seat without taking his eyes off Seifer. He held the cup to his chest. "Do you realize that I came in here – I – uh, you..."

Seifer sighed, setting his fork onto the tray and pushed it back. He leaned forward, "Squall, I'm perfectly in control." He gestured to Selphie, "Look – I've spent about, what, the last fourty-five minutes? Hanging out with Selphie and we're having a great time!"

"Seifer stopped me in the hall and invited me for breakfast. I've been telling him about the Garden Festival, my Cause for Innovation Foundation, the Displaced Teens Organization...OH! And how Squall put me in charge of this year's Summit Meeting!"

 _That's what it is._

"Oh wow!" Quistis clapped once, waving a finger toward Selphie, finally getting it.

 _You found the most obnoxious person you could find to see if you could control yourself..._

"Selphie says I need to get fitted for a tux." Seifer spoke with feigned interest. "She also said I should talk with Irvine about brushing up on my dancing skills."

"You can't go." Squall responded sharply.

Quistis heaved a sigh of relief, watching as Seifer winked at her, downing his glass of orange juice. She turned her attention to Squall, still lost.

"I think he's fine to go." Quistis reassured, an arm going to his shoulder.

"Is Zell awake? I could go bother him and see if he gets annoyed..." Seifer teased, rousing a giggle from Selphie.

"I wouldn't. He said he's busy with research."

Seifer stared at the bottom of his glass. "Zell can read?"

"SEIFER, stop!" Selphie punched him in the arm, laughing. "He's so funny!"

Squall narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms. "You're just so..."

 _Radiant. Bright. Happy. Glowing... literally glowing._

Seifer walked slow and confident with his thumbs in his pockets as Selphie continued to talk to him about the United Council Summit Meeting a month from then as they walked out of the cafeteria with a fresh cup of black coffee. Quistis drank her smoothie, still fascinated.

"Is this a result of Project Guardian? Is it wrong to think it fixed him?" Quistis muttered, not wanting Seifer to hear her. "What if this was it's result? I mean, he seems genuinely...happy."

Squall took a drink, shaking his head. "There's just something not right..."

"Well, now when you put you two together you start looking like you're old self." Quistis smiled, watching as his expression remained unchanged.

"I still can't trust him."

Listening to Squall's doubts frustrated Quistis. She groaned, shooting a hand to Seifer, "Look at how he's talking with Irvine. See that? That's called a smile."

"I know what a smile looks like." Squall stopped, watching Seifer laugh at Irvine's joke. "It's not that I don't trust Seifer, I don't trust what's inside Seifer."

Quistis watched as he ominously sipped on his cup, his eyes watching Seifer like a hawk. Seifer shot a sideways glance to Quistis, as if he heard Squall's doubts from near the fountains. The moment their eyes locked she watched as he looked behind her, circling his gaze back to Selphie. It was there and it was gone. She rested a hand on her hip. "I think it's going to be fine. I'm not often wrong."

She watched as Selphie showed Seifer how to take a 'selfie' on his phone. Seifer blinked, rubbing his eyes as she jumped up and down. "LOOK AT HOW CUTE YOU LOOK!"

"I'd be more scared of Selphie's sudden flirty attitude towards him than Seifer being a danger to anyone. I mean, look – Seifer wouldn't be smiling if he didn't enjoy himself right now." Quistis reassured. "You and I know him better than anyone else here."

"Why are you always so defensive with him? You're supposed to be on my side here."

"Well," Quistis nudged Squall forward, "I've always admired Seifer, respected him. But you know you've always been my favorite. _Especially_ when you were my student." She winked, forcing Squall to give her a small smile.

"Stop." He chuckled, taking another drink. She loved how his ears blushed.

Quistis walked forward, stopping when she felt Squall's hand grab hers.

"Will you stay until after the Summit?" Squall's eyes pleaded with her. "I'm gonna need you there."

Quistis had completely forgotten about the Summit Meeting. She sighed, leaning in to sneak a kiss on his cheek.

 _You can count on me._


	14. Queen Monster Hair

**Note: Adult Content Warning**

* * *

 _16, 17, 18, 19, 20... Do. Not. Breathe._

Seifer stood in the elevator leaned against the wall with his head down, his hand covered his nose and mouth tight to prevent him from sneaking any air in. His fingers rapped the back panel, trying to distract him.

 _23, 24, 25, 26, 27..._

Why these elevators were so slow he would never know. Why anyone would eat fish for lunch was beyond him. The scent was appalling. Food for the most part was appalling to him. He had stopped being able to taste it, he had stopped craving it but he had to force it down. He _had_ to. Or they would know something was wrong. Keep up with appearances, be the normal Seifer everyone hates to love.

 _(̵͏Y̨̕͡o̡͢u҉ ̧͢f̸o̶̧rgeţ ̕͜yo̷u͢r̴s̷e̷ļ̕͟f̢̀͟.͢͠.̶̀̕.҉҉)̕_

 _You have to appear normal. Don't let them see._

He needed to expel this energy. Seifer could best describe it as a hunger. He was fine and normal until he wasn't. It was a gnawing twinge in the gut, burning and prickling sensations slithered beneath his skin. The smells and sounds were more amplified, deafening. And the need...

He first felt it with Tomé, back in Winhill. Feeling her hands on his skin brought the electric prickling feelings. The memories flit into his mind and it was like a trance. It felt arousing at first but then he wanted to take her by the throat and slam her to the floor. He wanted to tear her clothes off and ravage her, take what he felt was rightfully his. These urges were intoxicating, like a drug.

He felt it again with Squall, only that time he wanted to taste his blood on his blade. He could smell Squall's fear of the dragons, the scent of sweat, blood and fear... He wanted to drive Hyperion into his stomach and completely eviscerate him.

The worst was Selphie and Quistis. Listening to Selphie was fine at first until she got excited. Sitting in the cafeteria about made him go insane and the pitch of Selphie's voice made his eardrums feel unbalanced. The sound of the dishes clinking, gnashing teeth as they chewed, burped, slurped, swigged... But Quistis... catching the scent of a woman that was recently fucked... that was something that Seifer could feed on the torment of destroying for hours... They were all so fortunate he was able to stay in control.

It were these moments when Seifer knew he had to put effort in staying and maintaining his control. He wasn't the type of person to necessarily feel these emotions, but these urges made him want to act on them. He wasn't as much of a violent being as he had in his youth, but the sexual urges, the violence, the urge to destroy was slowly becoming something that sounded appealing to him. When they were presented in his mind, his morals, his restraint was very tough to fight. The entire concept that he could make them all feel pain, make them suffer, it felt so right. Whatever Creswell had done to him, this Project Guardian, had turned him into a predator, a dangerous being.

 _(A̸c̢͠ţ̧ ҉͜͢o͏n͡ ỳ͘o̴̴ưr̴̵̵ ̢in͜s̢t͜i̷̡ǹ͞c͘͢t́s.͏ ̛͠T̶̕a̸̧͝st̡͜͢e̛͝ ̴yo͘͡ù̴͢r̶̢͘ ̶͢ţ͟r̡̡͟ų̶̛e ̶̛p҉̡o̴w̡e̶̛͞r͟.̡.́.͡)_

The voice had been there since the day of the "Training Center Incident," as Squall aptly named it. It's sound was haunting to him, it crept in the back of his mind and sifted, filtered, watched the memories in his mind. Seifer still vividly remembered when it first made its mark.

It was that night when he was moved into Isolation. The room was mostly concrete and metal, a military grade security wall gave him his only form of entertainment, that an a yellow tennis ball to bounce on the wall. Throw with right, catch with left. Throw with left, catch with right. And for other sources of entertainment, he watched as a single guard came and brought him food. No privacy, no sanity.

He spent the first five hours doing pushups, situps, crunches, lunges, incline pushups, knee bends, everything that he could possibly think of. During the hunger his body wouldn't grow tired and it was enough to drive him insane. The energy to fight still very present. He knew what he did to Squall. Seifer was in total control until he wasn't. Squall should have just left well enough alone but he had to keep badgering, keep pissing him off. He kept up with the rigorous exercise routine until the lights shut off. There was a single light that illuminated the halls along the baseboards at night. Seifer tried to sleep, the urge to fight still there...

He lay there for hours, his body beginning to sweat from frustration. Just when he thought he had drifted off, the lights of his cell turned on. His lashes fluttered as his eyes opened, the light on his face blinding him. A shadow passed above his body, blocking out the light for just a moment as he saw a silhouette of a young woman.

"Seifer..." The voice echoed, distant. A cool hand touched his cheek. He smiled, his eyes fluttering slowly when he tried to focus.

"Nino…Is that you?"

The moment his hand touched her cheek the figure vanished, transforming into something more twisted and masculine. Its height grew and elongated the shadow looming over him. Twisted tendrils and black chains whipped out and wrapped around Seifer's body, tightening. Seifer felt the strength of its grip and could no longer breathe, as the creature lifted him in the air, he caught a glimpse of something terrible, awful within the creature's eyes. The faceless figure drew him closer, and Seifer found himself enveloped by this creature's presence.

Y̶o͝u̵̵̧ ̧̧sens͠e̸ ̶̧͞į̧t̴̛,͟͝͏ ̴d̸ǫ͟ǹ'͏̸ţ ỳ̢͝ou̵͟͡?͝͝

It was the sound of an ancient madness given a voice. It was the noise that drives a man to the brink of insanity and then pushes him over. The creature's voice was deafening Seifer to the point of making his teeth grind.

You̡͢r̵͢͟ ͟m̷͞e̶͞m̵̡o̡͠r̴͞į҉͟ęş͘͘.͞͡..̶͢ ͟͢͞T̵he̵̢̛y̢̕͘ ̶̨m͟͡a͏͟k̵̶e ų҉s̢͟͠ ̷̢s͟t̢̕͞r̀͘o̵̕͡nǵ͡er͘.͠.̸́.҉ ͢

When the voice spoke it was a series of different pitches and speeds and instantly Seifer's ears rung, his sight became blurry, his body tingled and felt frozen. The only other noise he could sense was the sound of his heart throbbing in his ears. Feelings of fear and helplessness coupled with an adrenaline surge which only served to amplify those feelings was enough to make Seifer wish for death.

(̕͠Y̕ò͡u̷͟͡ mu̴st͜҉ ̧͜c̡all̷̵ ̶ơ̷͠u̷͘͢t̨ ́m̀͟y̴̸͢ ̡҉́ǹ̴a̶̶m̶̡͢e͞, _̴O͏͜d̷͢i̴͏n͘͢͟s̴̶̶͠͠ĺ̶̢á̷̵̢͟y̕͢e͟͞͡ŗ͢͡͏͝_.͝.)͟ ͢

The creature's black energy crept into Seifer's mouth, forcing him to lunge forward. He felt the air in his lungs being sucked out of his mouth from this unknown force.

Seifer could remember waking up from the nightmare, still feeling the chains around his body. He conditioned his body not to sleep, going 48, 72 hours at a time of not sleeping but then the voices started to sneak their way in while he was awake. Seifer was losing his mind, losing everything that had led him to this point.

He figured if he could control it, if he could control his urges and actions, he could escape. He could prove he was still in control, he could possibly leave Garden.

It was the voice that helped him unlock the doors. He spent his time in there working on honing the energy he could summon from his hands. Once he could figure out how to send the energy out as tendrils to move the chair that sat across the room, it came as second nature. That morning, he tried it on the lock.

The elevator stopped and Seifer composed himself. He released the air from his lungs and stepped out, casual, calm, collected.

And since that day he was fine, free to walk amongst mere mortals without fear of them knowing.

Seifer brushed his styled blonde hair back, jutting a hand in his pocket as he smoothed down the front of his thin blue shirt. Seifer's ears picked up the sound of a keyboard, the heartbeat and the scent of a beautiful young woman.

Ryzia sat at her desk and peered up from over her screen to greet him with a smile. She stood, gesturing to the office. "He's in a meeting but will be in directly."

Seifer winked to her, watching as she pressed the button on the desk. She smiled shyly, her pulse quickening as she watched Seifer walk past her. He knew he was handsome before, but the Guardian made his magnetism almost hypnotic.

A deadly predator.

Seifer opened the doors to Squall's office. The moment the doors closed he knew he wasn't alone. He walked his feet over to the center seating area, peering over the couch to find a small girl, no older than eight. He tilted his head, watching as she furiously scribbled on a sheet of white paper.

 _Well, hello..._

The little girl turned, ice-blue eyes staring at him with curiosity. "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm here to speak with the High Commander. Who are you?" He held his hands behind his back, leaning toward her. He watched as she turned her head back to her drawing, grabbing the chocolate brown coloring pencil and furiously grinding it into the paper. The sound was grating but Seifer was in control.

"I'm an orphan. I don't have parents because this monster ate them."

"Really? I'm an orphan too." Seifer smiled, "Where are your parents?"

"High Commander Liar Buttface and Queen Monster Hair are fighting again. They'll be back soon." She peeked behind her back. "Are you really an orphan?"

"Yes." Seifer nodded with an amused smirk playing on his face. "I never met my parents."

"I'm sorry..." The little girl looked down at her shoulder, setting the brown pencil down and held out a red one. "Do you like to draw?"

Seifer took the pencil in his hand, noting it was completely dwarfed by his long fingers. He walked around the table, sitting himself down beside her on the floor. "I love to draw. I used to when I was your age, actually." He took the piece of paper she offered, making a casual glance at the picture and stifled laugh. The crude markings of a vengeful child was prevalent. The giant no-armed monster was eating the heads of Queen Monster Hair and High Commander Liar Buttface.

"So..." Seifer pressed the sharpened pencil to the paper, sketching out a moomba. "What did High Commander Liar Buttface do to make you draw a monster biting his head off?"

"He broke our promise."

"What promise was that?" Seifer watched her as she pressed her closed hand to her cheek.

"He said that I could come home. Then he told mom that I had to stay in Deling City and I hate it there because it's boring. So I ran away, and I broke a vase, and I threw Grandfather Caraway's important papers in the pool."

 _Caraway..._

Seifer felt the pencil crush under the weight of his grip. He let go, putting his hands in his lap to stop his fist from shaking.

 _Control it._

He watched as she nonchalantly reached in the box, pulling out a new red and sat it on the paper. "Don't worry about it. I do that sometimes too."

 _Not like this, I bet..._

Seifer cleared his throat, pulling the box over the middle of the table, reaching for a black. "So, then what happened?"

"Oh..." She sighed, getting a new piece of paper. "I got in trouble. Mama doesn't want me there anymore so she brought me here but then I got yelled at by Daddy. Then they started yelling at each other so they went to the cafeteria to ' _get_ _coffee'_ and dad said," She deepened her voice, picking up the paper and shaking it. "Alisa, you are not to leave my office until I return. Under no circumstances are you to talk to anybody. Do I make myself clear?"

Seifer chuckled, "I'm guessing that's when the big monster came in and bit their heads off, hm?"

Alisa scooted herself closer, sitting on her knees. "Yep." She started another drawing, grabbing the yellow pencil. She looked at him, "You have a scar like my dad."

Seifer blinked as she reached out to trace the faint pale line in the center of his brow.

"Why?"

 _You must be one of those type of kids..._

"I've known your dad for a long time."

"How long?"

"Since we were kids."

"That's a long time."

"Yes it is."

"Are you friends with my dad?"

"Not really, we're... it's complicated."

"Why?"

"We don't get along."

"There's these two kids that mama makes me play with. They are brothers. They don't get along."

"We kind of have to get along but we don't want to."

"What about mom?"

"What _about_ mom?"

"Do you know her?"

"Yes."

"How long."

"A long time."

"Longer than dad?"

"Nope."

"Do you know Pupurun?"

"Love Pupurun."

"What's your favorite book?"

"Pupurun, Joins a Cult of Consumerists."

"Is that a real book?"

"No."

"Are you and daddy like brothers?"

"Sort of. Yeah. I guess you could say so."

"So that makes you my uncle."

"Uh..."

Seifer stopped coloring, looking at the little girl who had completely engrossed herself in her picture. He glanced down, watching her color a pink scar across the blonde man's face.

Alisa glanced up for a second then back to the box, reaching for a blue pencil. She drew two dots in the face, looking back up at him, pencil in hand as she rested her cheek in her fist. "Can you be my uncle?"

"Why do you want me to be your uncle?" Seifer mimicked her sitting position, his hand covered the side of his face as he rested his elbow on the glass table.

"Because Uncle Zell is sad and sick and Uncle Irvine is too busy with girls to play with me. You seem like you'd be a great uncle."

Seifer let out a chuckle. "Okay, fine. I'll be your Uncle."

The little girl who had enchanted him into coloring brushed the hair from her face as she held out her hand. "What's your name? Mine is Alisa Raine Leonhart."

Seifer took her small hand in his. "My name is Seifer Colin Almasy." He was caught off guard when she wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. His blue eyes searched the room, frozen. He had dropped the pencil and could hear it rolling away. His hand reached to her back, giving her a cautious pat. She pulled away, her arm hanging from his neck, examining his drawing.

"Can I keep this, Uncle Seifer?"

Seifer nodded, watching as she took the page and carefully slipped it in a book. She handed him another sheet of paper and a green pencil. Seifer paused, watching her.

"So... your Grandfather..."

"Alisa!"

The doors blew open and with it came a very negative energy. Rinoa stormed in, heels echoing through the room as she walked toward the table. "Get away from him, Alisa. He is a dangerous person..." She closed the box and hastily collected the blank papers.

"Woah, woah wait..." Seifer's brow lowered as he looked back behind her to see Squall. "We were just coloring..."

Alisa was pulled up by Rinoa, trying to grab the pages that she snatched up from the table. Seifer could hear Alisa's heart beat faster. "Mama! Uncle Seifer isn't bad! He's good!"

Rinoa paused, staring down at the crude drawings. She turned to Squall who walked forward. He looked like he had just lost a battle between him and Queen Monster. Rinoa's hair whipped around as she held out the drawing to Seifer.

"You're _sick_ , you know that?"

"Tell me something I don't know..." Seifer groaned as he stood, his eyes caught the corner of the Monster picture. "Oh! Hey – She was drawing that when I walked in!"

"Mama I'm sorry –"

"Does this look like something _our_ daughter would do?" Rinoa shoved the page to Squall, waiting for his reaction.

"Daddy..."

"Alisa..." Squall sighed, folding the picture and getting it out of sight. "We've talked –"

"Talking is over. You're grounded, let's go." Rinoa grabbed Alisa's bag, tugging her along. "Nice parenting, Squall. Yeah, good job on letting _psychopathic_ _murderers_ run amok in your Garden."

Seifer looked down at Alisa, holding his arms across his chest. Alisa shook her head, "Mama Uncle Seifer is good! He's nice!"

Rinoa spun her daughter around to look at him. She crouched down to her eye level, extending a finger to Seifer's chest. "See that man? He tried to kill your parents once. Remember the story of the bad knight and the evil sorceress? _That_ is the man who did that."

"Rinoa, enough!" Squall blocked Alisa's view from Seifer but he could smell her fear. "Rinoa! You're scaring her!"

"He killed his two best friends and tried to kill your grandfather." Rinoa stood, her hand tight on Alisa's wrist. "You do not speak to him, you do not go near him. Ever."

"RINOA!" The amplified tone in Squall's voice caused Seifer to wince. He covered his ear, stepping away from the vibrations he felt. Seifer could tell Alisa was more scared of Rinoa than him. He watched as Rinoa pulled her daughter out of the office, storming off in a rage. The doors closed and he waited a moment for the silence to return.

Seifer turned his head to Squall who looked mortified. His hands rested on his lower back, staring at the folded photo on the floor. He picked it up and looked at it a last time before crumbling it into a ball.

Seifer watched him as he walked over to his desk, quietly taking his seat. On a typical day he's the one who knows what to say. As he stood across from Squall he found that he was drawing a complete blank. He clasped his hands together and brought them to his chest. Keeping an eye on the door. "Squall –"

"I want to... apologize." The words caught in Squall's throat as he leaned forward. "That was completely uncalled for. I forgot that you and I had an appointment..."

"If you want me to come back later –"

"No," Squall rubbed his temple, opening a folder on his desk. "Heh, no..."

"You have to understand that I would never hurt your child." Seifer was very careful with his words, he could sense the anxiety and tension in Squall and it made him nervous. "She's a delight to be around."

 _Sort of takes after her mother but beside the point..._

Squall kept his eyes on the folder, almost frozen. He slowly reached a hand into the drawer of his desk, pulling out a bottle of amber liquid.

"I'll come back later."

"Stay." Squall opened the bottle, taking a swig. "Sit."

Seifer was compliant. He slowly slipped into the chair, catching the bottle Squall tossed to him.

"Drink."

Seifer slowly uncorked the bottle, eyeing Squall with suspicion. He took a small swig, unflinching. He corked the bottle, sitting it on the desk. Squall sat in silence, cracking his knuckles. "Squall –"

"I need you to confirm a corpse and identify a few persons of interest."

"That's why I'm here?" Seifer made a face, crossing his arms. "Whose body?"

"A possible Syndicate agent. Two of them." Squall passed along the folder he had been staring at to Seifer. "The corpse, his body was dumped on Mandy Beach. We've been keeping a close eye on that area because we've had reports of suspicious activities in the forests. Can you confirm it for me?"

"It's been five years but I can try..." Seifer looked down, instantly recognizing the corpse. He let the open portion of the folder slip out of his fingers, his other hand holding up the images. "Endrik Mireille."

 _(C_ _on̕t́r͡ol yo͏u͡r ̧em͜ot̢i̴o͡ns҉.͝.̧. )_

"The leader? You're absolutely certain?" Squall watched as Seifer studied the image. He was laid to rest face up, bald, older but definitely him.

"Well, if he's dead he isn't the leader any longer. But that's him." Seifer nodded, his hand dropping to his side. He clenched his fist tight, feeling his nails cutting into his hand.

 _(Go͞od̨.̡.̀.̀ ̧yo͠u le͠arn͘ ́f̵a̛st.͟.͘.̧)_

He cleared his throat, steadying his voice, feeling the influence start to hit him. He clenched his fist tighter, "The coat he's wearing... I've seen it before several times." Seifer flipped to the next image. "Ah, Urvo Dardanion. The picture's pretty dark but you can definitely make out that he still hasn't cut his braid." Seifer held the image closer. "Reya Vatia's standing in the back..." He pointed to the trees, showing Squall as he handed them back.

"Interesting that Endrik's dead... wonder who took his place."

"Would have been me if he hadn't..." Seifer shook his head.

"Hadn't what?"

Seifer felt the burning under his skin, he closed his eyes for a moment, pushing out the sensation. He could smell the whiskey like he was drowning in it. He started to cover his mouth but stopped when he noticed the blood under his nails. Squall didn't notice.

"Endrik was grooming me to be next in line. I ended up getting in a relationship with his daughter and we left. He had her 'assigned' to another Agent in Esthar."

"There's more in Esthar?"

"Oh." Seifer scoffed. "Syndicate is everywhere, Squall. It's all in the dossiers."

Squall nodded, filing the images away. "Thanks, Seifer. This will help tremendously. I will coordinate this with the reports you gave us and maybe we can finally get somewhere on this..."

"Yep." Seifer stood as soon as he possibly could. He needed to get out of there. Squall was talking when Seifer closed the doors behind him. The pressure in his chest was searing, the hunger was getting worse. He dug his nails into his palms as hard as he could, feeling the meat underneath.

Seifer sucked in his breath, letting it out slowly. He felt the hunger subside, the pressure lift and a darkness wash over his body. He took another breath through his nose, catching the sweet scent of something... primal.

 _(̷.. ͡ą g͢if͏t̵ I҉ h͢a͠ve҉ ͡fo҉r ýóù̢͡ O̶̷͟din̨̨s͢͡l͟a҉̛y͡e̷̛͠r̴̛..̶.)_

"Mr. Almasy?"

 _(͝.̕.͘.A V̢irg͞i҉n.́.̡.)_

Seifer's eyes slowly opened as they turned to Ryzia. He smiled, the smile he could tell shot heat down between her legs.

 _͘(̨..҉.͡T̶a̛ke ͜he̵r..͡.̕)_

"Ryzia..." Seifer's voice was dark, with an overtone of something seductive, something pleasurably smooth like a soft cream. He leisurely slipped his thumbs out of his pockets, walking toward her. He could hear her heartbeat quickening by just standing in front of her. He leaned forward, Seifer's long arms stretching the width of the desk as he leaned, trapping her in his gaze. Once she was caught in his sight she couldn't look away.

"Y-yes?" She whispered, she looked as if she would burst if he got too close.

Seifer licked his lips slowly, toying with the new power that he was given. He smiled, watching her, tasting her scent on his tongue and lips.

 _(Te̕a͟r͞ of́f̕ the͢ vi͜rg͝i҉n's cl͏o͜t͘h̢es.͜..҉ rav͟a̴ge ̵hèr.̧ ҉t̶a̴k͘é h҉er. d͢e͟s̢t̀roy h͞e͘r.͞.̕.̨)_

"Ryzia..." He said her name again, looking down at her trembling lap. Her hands clutching the hem of her black skirt. "Touch yourself...down there."

Ryzia did exactly as she was instructed, he watched as her tiny little fingers vanished beneath the hem of the skirt. She exhaled, parting her legs. Seifer watched her cheeks flush, her eyelids growing heavy.

Seifer leaned in closer, watching how she released a moan, as if his very presence was enough for her to peak. He slowly moved his eyes up to hers, smiling. "How does that feel?"

"Good...so good..."

"How old are you, Ryzia? Ah, ah... slow down, don't be greedy..." Seifer watched as her hands slowed and her legs opened wider.

"Nineteen."

 _(Ho҉w̕ s̴ẃe͟e͝t it̕ ̨iş...̷)_

"Nineteen...wow..." He chuckled, Seifer could hear his own voice echoing the influence. "How sweet it is..." He dropped his eyes back down to her legs. "Faster."

He watched as her fingers danced underneath her skirt, tiny quiet moans slipping out of her mouth. He smiled, licking his bottom lip again as he looked back at her. "Are you a virgin, Ryzia?"

"Yes..."

 _(͡.͟.. ̶wh̛y ́do ̀yo̴u as̀k? ͟yơu ̷t̶àk̸e̵...͠ Y̴OU͞ T͘AK͢E ̡.̢..̶)҉_

"Why is that?" His eyes grabbed her attention, narrowing as he spoke.

It took her a moment to respond until Seifer told her to slow down again. "Parents are religious, I've had oral before many times."

"Many times? Hm." Seifer cocked his head to the side, the left corner of his mouth moving upward. He could feel his own temperature rise, the blood in his veins almost pulsing each time she moaned. "Do you want to be fucked, Ryzia?"

She nodded as his hand softly brushed the side of her flushed cheek. Her hand moved quicker under her skirt faster, never leaving his gaze.

"Would you want me to fuck you?" Seifer watched in delight as her legs opened up wider, her wet panties peeking out from underneath. The scent coming from her was enough for Seifer to take her right there. If he could make her do this, he could only imagine the other possibilities.

"Oh yes...please..."

Seifer was completely awestruck with himself. He never knew that he held this kind of power. It would be so easy to abuse it, take complete control by losing control... He stood, slowly extending his hand out to hers.

Ryzia reached out, standing as he pulled her to him. Seifer slowly took her wet fingers in his mouth, his tongue wrapping around them, sucking the juices off gently. Ryzia's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her legs nearly buckled onto the floor. He pulled them out, a sucking noise snapping her back up.

"Come with me..."


	15. You will be Empyral

_Correction. Obedience._

Nino kept her eyes to the ceiling. Her green eyes followed the trickle of blood that crept down her wrist from the restraints on the ceiling.

 _Obedient. You must be obedient._

She felt her body jolt forward, the searing pain slapping her across the back. Another kiss of pain, she cried out. He was going to whip her until she cried. Her legs buckled under her as she felt the weight of her body suspended in her wrists. She could feel wetness running down her neck back and thighs, soaking her clothes. She was bleeding.

 _You will never see him again._

She looked to the floor, watching as a pair of black boots walked from behind her and stopped directly in front. The whip was in his hand, his grip tight. She felt his hand across her face, copper and salt.

"I'm not happy, my dear..."

Nino's head was forced to look into his cyan blue eyes. Sweat glistened on his black hair. He hit her again.

"What did you do with him? Hm? Answer me NOW, sweetling..."

 _He got away..._

"He was on the train when I left." Her voice was hoarse, parched but she had to answer immediately.

"What did you tell him?"

 _The Plants are in Garden... I told him everything..._

Nino felt the sting of his hand as it slapped her face. She didn't answer fast enough.

"What did you tell him?"

"That we... have agents in the...ngh... Garden."

"Which one?"

"...All of them." Her voice betrayed her, tears rolled down her face, watching his fury, watching the face of wrath and hate stare her down. The shadows on the wall motioned for him. He dropped his grip on her and left. The door closed but she was not alone.

"My son is a bit dramatic when it comes to asking questions. Both of my sons can be a little... hot headed. Torrin and Seifer they lost their mother at an early age. She was emotional, wreckless. Tried to take them away from me. Torrin is old enough to remember my wrath when I am angry. Needless to say, when I heard you told that SeeD about our plants..."

She arched her back as she cried out, feeling the lash. This one was hard, burned as it tore a fresh wound across her thighs. Another came, her legs buckled as she sobbed. Another, she wailed. Artos was strong and ruthless with the whip.

"Death will come, but not soon enough." She felt him walking around her in circles. Nino didn't have the strength to open her eyes. "No, no, death will come but first..."

 _Don't feel. Don't think. Don't be._

Nino focused on the sound of the blood dripping from her pant legs and mouth. She felt the chains rattling above her, feeling her body drop to the concrete floor. Nino didn't move. If she moved she would get another lash.

She felt her body being covered by a coat. The smell of gun metal and aftershave, blood. Burnt charred flesh, bodies.

"Nino... you have done a very bad thing. You disobeyed our commands," Artos knelt over her, brushing the matted hair from her face. "You shared secrets that weren't yours to share and you must repay us for the lives you took in the forest. You owe us for the life you took... the SeeD that belonged to the other guards? The throat you cut? You owe us for the one that you let get away. But first you must witness. You will learn, and then you will be reborn."

Nino swallowed, trembling. She had no idea what he meant by reborn. She expected death was inevitable for her. When he touched her she felt sick. She felt him bring her to her feet, covering her tight in his coat as he led her outside.

It was pouring rain, she wasn't sure where they were. The compounds all started to look the same but her best guess was Centra. Alnaj. The main compound of Syndicate. She looked to the ground. The dirt in Centra was always a deep mottled grey color. The air smelled damp, the stinging wetness pelted her face. The storm was right above them. She watched as Urvo and Reya stood with Torrin on the platform. In the center was her father, tied to a post bruised and bloodied.

Torrin was immediately by her side, taking her waist and holding her upright. "Witness."

The compound was flooded with agents. Dozens of them. She looked around, seeing the families that surrounded. Alnaj was home to over 300 Syndicate Agents and their families. Children, women, babies, teens. They pretended as if Nino wasn't there as they gathered. Standing to attention before dropping their knees the moment Artos appeared before them. Torrin forced Nino to hers, kneeling beside her.

"I stand before you to tell you that our time has finally come! Syndicate was born from the idea that we would rise and take control. Too long we have allowed the mortal men in charge to control and destroy the balance. They stole the power and the energy that once made us strong but we have taken it back. Witness!" Artos leapt from the platform, his hand to Torrin as he approached.

Nino watched as he stood, his hand rose as a white and purple glow manifested in his palm. Agents all watched in awe as electricity crackled and danced across his hands. From deep beneath the skin she could see the power as it grew. Torrin gazed at the light before looking to those watching. Nino had never seen anything like it.

"Witness this power!"

Torrin turned his hand to Endrik, thrusting it forward as he cast electricity from his hands. Nino cried out, watching her father convulse as the lightning burned him from the inside out.

"We have learned how to successfully junction the essence of the energy of Guardian forces and harness it into mortal men. With this power we can finally rise up, Alnaj! We will become the living gods we were once promised to become! Endrik saw it as a means to destroy the balance – I am here to tell you that balance is OURS to destroy!"

The Alnaj people began to rally. Nino kept her eyes on her father, watching as he gasped for air, fighting his restraints.

"Endrik Mireille was a weak leader, he lacked the discipline that it requires to forge strong soldiers. That ends today. Those chosen few will be reborn and stand as wolves among sheep. This is the beginning of a revolution, a revolution where we rise as living gods among men and we take what is ours. Who will witness?!"

Nino trembled, her eyes on her father as men and women cheered.

"Who will join us?"

The crowd grew louder.

Torrin cast another spell from his hands, he shot the lightning through Endrik and Nino watched in horror as her father was burned alive. She looked to Torrin, watching the power, trying to make sense of what she witnessed.

"Nino Mireille!"

Nino's attention was brought to Artos as she felt hands on her, launching her to her feet.

"Your father paid greatly with his life when he failed to provide you with the proper reconditioning. Let this be your final chance." His hand trailed across her cheek. "It's difficult for fathers to raise daughters. They feel with emotion more than they do with logic."

 _Just kill me... what is this?!_

"Endrik Mireille put a lot of work into you. Work that we can not just let go to the wind." He sat her up, covering her body with his coat. "With the death of your father it is now my job to make sure that you will will obey. You will join us. You will become reborn. You will become Empyral. Understand?" His tone commanded respect, obedience.

 _Empyral?_

"What do you choose? Life or Death?"

Nino looked around, watching as Urvo and Reya waited for her answer along with the rest of Alnaj. They grew silent, the only sound coming from the air was the storm overhead. She looked to Torrin, the energy flowing through his body, Artos, watching him in that light she could see the strong resemblance of Seifer in him.

"What is it? Life or Death, sweetling?" Torrin kept his eyes low as he towered over her.

She didn't want to die, she wanted to live.

"...Life."

"That's a good girl." Artos lifted a blue vial to her lips. Her head fell back, drifting to sleep...

–

Nino awoke with rapid hitching gasps. Her body trembled as she rolled to her back, staring at the smoke that billowed into the night sky.

 _The bomb. The explosion. I couldn't stop it..._

Once her thoughts collected, she scrambled to her feet, staggering to the edge of the roof. Her heart sank as she witnessed the extent of the damage from the bombing. She was too late.

"No, no no!" The very words choked her. Bloodied hands went to her lips as she fell to her knees.

 _You were too late. So many victims, casualties..._

Looks of pain, shock and terror were perfectly distilled into the features of the people below. It drove Nino into hysterics. The train that carried the bomb had detonated on a populated street in Timber. The people that survived watched in shock as others started searching for the lost.

All of this pain rested at Syndicate's feet. The smell of blood, dust and death filled the air and clogged Nino's lungs. She choked back a sob when she saw a child crushed underneath the rubble in the building connected to the pub, all that could be seen was a small tiny arm, a blue ribbon tied around the wrist.

 _I could have stopped this…I was too late…these weren't targets... these are victims._

The fires still burned bright as the people below did what they could to put them out. Sparks from the telephone wires zapped and terrified the people below as Medics and Police rushed them to a safer area. The train that derailed wiped out most of the storefronts in the affected area, rubble still continued to fall.

Feeling weak from the explosion, she collapsed, letting out a sharp cry. She looked down, a piece of metal jabbed into her side. Her teeth clenched as she pulled it out, it's sharp edge jagged and bloody. Her fingers shook as she tossed it down and covered the wound. She closed her eyes. Channeling the energy that coursed through her body, watching as the bleeding stopped. Letting out a strained moan, she watched the wounds heal completely. She took a deep breath, looking around her.

 _Nino, you have to get up… you have to keep moving… they are coming for you._

She urged herself to stand, feeling more pain for the people below than for herself. Ash and embers floated around her, swirling as the wind picked up.

"Nino."

Hearing the noise of a gun click, she knew who was behind her.

 _Urvo._

"Why?" Her voice cracked, refusing to look the dark figure in the eye.

"It is not our question to ask why. It is our job to complete the tasks set for us. We are Assassins. We are Syndicate. You know our codes and you know our laws."

"This is not right..."

"It doesn't have to be. All that matters is the job. Nothing more." The gun barrel dug into the back of her head. She could feel it burrowing in the back of her skull. "You know the rules…there's only the true way to leave Syndicate."

Urvo's gloved hand trailed down to the small of her back. Her jaw clenched tight in resentment when he pulled the daggers out of her sheaths, dragging her away from her perch. Nearly tripping on her own feet, Nino jerked her arm in an attempt to break free. "Stop dragging it out and just kill me already!"

"You know what must be done, Nino."

In a flash Nino whipped around him, reaching for the gilded blade in his sheath and jamming into his chest.

"Stupid girl…" He exhaled, containing his pain within him. Bloody fingers went to her neck as he tried to push her away, his strength weakening with each second that passed. She buried the blade deeper and twisted, eliciting a groan from Urvo's throat.

"Stupid girl, maybe. But I'm still breathing..." Nino shoved the blade in deeper with a grunt.

Urvo smiled wickedly, spitting the blood out of his mouth. "Such skill and value, but not for long, I promise you." Nino retracted the dagger, shoving him to the ground.

As she looked up, she saw two members from her recruit class.

"You've made a big mistake, Nino."

 _Run._

She didn't hesitate. Turning on her heel, she began to run opposite of the assassins. She leapt across the building and onto the next, using railings, pillars—anything she could use for her advantage of moving fast. Nino leapt across another narrow alley in between houses, sprinting for her life. She ran over to the edge, looking down over the parapet.

 _Target._

The burn of a dagger's slicing across her back staggered her. She felt hands grab her as she spun around, knife slicing into the femoral artery. Nino watched as the assassin stumbled back, already bleeding out.

Nearly falling over, she caught a glimpse of a transport vehicle. The street below, clogged with civilians and SeeD Operatives. She wanted to call for help... but there was no time. Hearing her assailants growing closer, she began to search for an alternative route. Nino jumped onto a cable rope hanging from a shorter building, sliding down to the platform below.

She ran along the wooden platforms, jumping and climbing until she reached another narrow alley. Winding elusively through the shadows, she watched as the soldiers jumped across more buildings above her. A large sigh of relief came from her throat; then her breath, rapid and shallow finally slowed to normal. Her head pounded, her body ached. She slid downwards against the stone wall, tucked away behind a stack of crates.

The sky cracked open, and the rain battered down. Nino, soaked to the bone, waited under the scant shelter of the crates, waiting for her chance to escape. Shivering, her body gave in to her exhaustion and she began to close her eyes. Before she could find respite in sleep she heard footsteps down the alley while thunder rolled overhead. She peered through the slits in the crate next to her, watching Seifer standing there, waiting for her. She closed her eyes, wishing the apparition would just go away.

"Nino."

She leapt up, blades out as she began to blindly slice at the apparition. She spun around, continuing to slice, to scream, to cry out. When she goes in for the kill she felt the pressure of blade to skin contact. Her eyes opened as she watched Reya, her best friend, her superior officer.

"Ni..." Reya choked through blood stained teeth. She raised her whip, dropping it to the ground.

Nino looked to the whip as it clattered. The bladed tail glinted in the rain. "You were coming to kill me." The blades ripped out of her chest cavity as Nino watched her body collapse.

She pressed her back to the wet brick wall. Her eyes never leaving Reya's.

"Nino..."

"Why couldn't you leave us alone? Why didn't you just let us live our lives?"

Reya rolled her head to her side, spitting blood. "Your father... he had no control. It was always Ca-Caraway. He had plans for Seifer, plans to change him..." She wheezed, reaching for the vial in her front pocket. Nino watched as she fumbled, the vial dropping and rolling over to her feet. "You had been p-promised to Torrin... you were... currency. His S...support..."

"What does that even mean?!"

Nino watched as Reya reached for the vial in a desperate attempt to heal. Blood was filling her lungs by now. She was drowning. Nino hovered her foot over the vial and in a calm step she crushed the Elixir under her boot. When she looked up Reya was dead, lifeless. A corpse.

"Where did you go?" Seifer's apparition haunted her. She grew to hate him, despise him. Nino's eyes looked straight through as he passed by her again. "What happened to you?" She sheathed her daggers and closed her coat, wrapping it around her as she suddenly felt cold. Her feet were silent as she moved down the alley.

The voice crept into her mind.

She turned a corner and halted. Unable to take another step. A hot heat kissed her across her back, her thighs, her body felt drained as she heard the voice again.

" _Somnium."_


	16. Arrival

Squall ended the call when Ryzia's number went straight to voicemail. Again. This wasn't like her to just not answer him. Normally she was on his every beck and call, beyond ecstatic to do _anything_ for the High Commander she admired so much.

 _Have I been taking advantage of her? I can't expect her to be my receptionist and babysit Alisa every time that I have to step outside... I wish Rinoa could have taken her along with Selphie to Balamb for their gown fittings..._

He had been receiving UC staff and officers since early morning with Alisa trailing right behind on his heels. Classes were dismissed for the duration of the event, meaning that Alisa's friends were sent home to be with their parents. Squall wished he could have spent the time actually interacting with his daughter. Most of the time during their lunch hour was being wasted by standing outside Seifer's door, waiting for him to answer. He would have asked Alisa to wait in his office but didn't want to risk Rinoa finding out and going into another frenzy.

 _It's not exactly like bringing her with me into Seifer's 'area of domain' is any better..._

Squall was growing more frustrated with Rinoa's reaction to Seifer's presence. While he understood her side of things, he didn't see the harm in Seifer's genuine interest in Alisa's well-being, even if it were just in passing. At least Seifer asked about her on the regular.

 _I wonder if she gets lonely growing up here?_

Squall looked down to his daughter and smiled, pleased to see that she had her face shoved inside of a book. He wanted to raise a smart girl, an intelligent girl who enjoyed reading as much as she did playing with her dolls or coloring. His smile waned when he glanced down and saw the title of the book. _The Sorceress Knight._ Ever since Alisa first met Seifer she was growing somewhat of a crush on the man, obsessing over anything and everything about Sorceresses and Knights.

 _Never mind her own mother is a Sorceress. Seifer's managed to snatch up my daughter without actually making contact with her..._

That was the cause of the fight that broke out the day Alisa met her father's rival. Standing there watching Rinoa lose her mind with Seifer had drained Squall's confidence of being in control. He wished that he could have gone back and been upfront and honest about Seifer's standing in Garden. He had every intention to tell her he was more or less free to roam, but the moment Rinoa found out she had taken it as a sign of Squall lying to her.

Rinoa had every right to protect their child but on the other hand, Seifer was the one who hadn't seemed unkind. Squall trusted his daughter's judge of character, even if she seemed to favor the one person in this world that Squall could never see eye-to-eye. That day when he saw the way Seifer looked at Alisa the moment Rinoa pulled her away seemed it was the closest both men had been on the same side of things.

In the end, Rinoa won the upper hand and convinced Squall to restrict the areas that Seifer was allowed to frequent. For the duration of Seifer's stay, Rinoa was going to make sure that Alisa was never out of their sight. Her reasoning being that she didn't want to give Seifer the opportunity to hurt either of them.

 _She's so cold now. Distant. She's turning into her father..._

It made Squall want to question who the woman he fell in love with, married and created a child together. Who was she becoming? It seemed as though the longer she spent away from Squall and more with her father in Galbadia the more withdrawn and defensive she got about seemingly everything Squall did. She used to question his reasons behind things, but she never berated him outright.

 _Co-parenting is supposed to be easier than this..._

He kept his distance from Quistis, not only for Rinoa's sake but at Quistis' request, much to his surprise. Their last night together ended on such a chaotic note with finding Seifer had escaped so it had been for the best. They had their time together, it was wonderful and well reciprocated on both ends but ultimately, Squall could never love Quistis the way he had loved Rinoa. Maybe it really had been for the best. Maybe in a different life he could have seen him be more than just casually intimate with Quistis but in this life he didn't love her, at least, not in the ways that she had always wanted.

Squall felt that he had lost his entire control over everything and everyone around him in a matter of months. Too much had been piled on and he could feel himself slipping back into the state he had been in that caused the infidelity to Rinoa. Stagnant. Repetitious. Defeating Ultimecia had been the most amazing achievement that he would ever be known for... and he accomplished that at 17. Now at twenty-six, what was he to do?

"Seifer! Come on!" Squall slammed his fist to the door, growing more and more impatient.

At least for the Summit, Quistis and Zell cleared their schedules to greet dignitaries as they walked through the front gates of Garden. Selphie snatched up Irvine, Nida and a few people from the Garden Festival Committee to getting things set up in the Ballroom and Auditorium upstairs, ready for the lavish dinners and the fancy presentations and grueling, over-the-top meetings. Squall didn't want any part of it. A simple room where people took turns speaking was just fine by him but that wasn't the UC's way of doing things. The UC _had_ to be over the top, they had to throw their all into the pot so they looked good to the rest of the world, even if they were piling all the excess work right on top of him.

At the very least, Squall was eternally grateful that his trusted comrades and loved ones seemed to understand his level of stress and thankfully stepped in. It gave him time to finally feel like he slowly coming back, regaining his control.

Squall knocked on the door again, this time with a more authoritative and threatening force behind it. The High Commander of Balamb Garden and the SeeD Collective didn't have the time to stand at Seifer's door. His hands patted the master keycard on his belt, wondering if he should just use it and get it over with.

"Daddy... I'm _boooored_..."

"Just a second baby," Squall checked his phone. The ankle bracelet was detected in his room, it was showing that he was active. Another forceful knock. "Seifer!"

"Maybe he's sleeping?"

Squall had never known Seifer to sleep past nine in the morning. Even when they were they were cadets sharing a communal dorm room he never once saw Seifer sleep in. He had heard the rumors concerning Seifer that he had been developing certain characteristics that put Irvine's libido to shame but Squall couldn't bear to listen. He refused to believe any of it, finding it hard to believe that Seifer was able to seduce women with a single look in his eyes. The last thing he needed to hear about was gossip, but he most certainly didn't want to be the person to give Seifer Almasy the talk about fraternization with Operatives of SeeD while he was in their custody.

Giving into his restlessness, Squall reached for the master key card.

The door flung open as a sweat glistened Seifer emerged, greeting Squall with a smile that read a mixture of shock and surprise. He quickly narrowed the space in the door, his head and shoulders being the only thing that peered out of the dark room.

"Squall! Hey...!" Seifer panted, his eyes dropped down to Alisa and he narrowed the space of the door even more. "And _mini_ Squall! Uh...what's uh, so uh... what's up?"

"Are you... okay?" Squall peeked behind Seifer's shoulder, noting the movement in the room. He narrowed his eyes when he thought he saw a naked body.

"Yeah! I was a bit... um," He exhaled, catching his breath. "I was expecting the uh, that girl from the Cafeteria...?"

"The girl from the Cafeteria – Cass?! The one who works in the cafe?" Squall couldn't stop the twitch in his eye. The girl from the cafeteria Seifer referred to made Squall's coffee fresh each morning and had a fiance who resided abroad in Timber. He recently caught Seifer leaned over the counter some time ago one early morning, distracting her from her job assignments. Squall realized then that he should have said something but didn't.

"Yeah...the cute little blonde, with the big uh..." Seifer's tone carried a nonchalant vibe, gesturing to his chest. "The others keep um... tapping out."

"The others keep..." Squall trailed off, burying his hand into his face, the sting of a headache was already creeping in. "Are they– Seifer, who is in there?!"

"I...honestly don't know. I didn't really catch their names..." Seifer's smile was unnerving as he so casually propped an arm on the doorframe. Squall looked to Seifer's toned bicep, noting the very fresh bite mark on his arm. He noticed several more, smaller ones that bruised all along his neck and shoulder, leaving purple blotches that stretched to his jaw. Looking down, Squall's jaw dropped, seeing that Seifer's abdomen and waist were completely covered in deep scratches.

 _What the hell is going on?!_

"Seifer!"

" _Squall_..." Seifer caught his gaze and for whatever reason Squall struggled to break away from it. The way Seifer looked at him the way he did was... so mesmerizing. It was like he was looking beyond Seifer, staring off into the space behind him.

 _(Everything is fine. I promise. Be still, clear your mind and listen...)_

The voice in his mind was his own but somehow it wasn't. Before he could understand the voice was gone. As he drifted away his felt his mind begin to go completely numb, leaving behind a strange cloudy sensation when he finally came to.

He wasn't sure what had happened but the first thing in his mind was what to do about Seifer. Standard protocol was that the Operatives hiding inside would need to be written up, assigned proper disciplinary action and in more extreme cases Squall would be legally bound to discharge them from Garden without pay. There was too much paperwork to add on the already endless stack... and none of it was worth the trouble in the end. Not now, at least.

While Seifer was technically a prisoner, he was also technically a guest. It would take up the better part of Squall's afternoon just to decide whether to punish them all or to just leave it all alone. Squall stepped back, his body rigid as he gestured for Seifer to kick them out. He watched with a cold glare as Seifer quickly closed the door as Alisa closed her book, looking up at her father.

"Who's in there? Is it someone we know?"

 _This can't be happening... not today. Not during the Summit..._

The door opened as Seifer was throwing on a white t-shirt to hide the markings covering his body. He also put pants on, to that Squall was grateful for. Seifer sported a pair of black jeans, the belt and top button still unfastened, pants hanging low on his hips. He held them together as he ushered out the blonde who worked in Security, the olive skinned Operative who held her uniform together as she addressed her High Commander, and Ryzia, who ducked underneath Seifer's arm and made a terrible effort at hiding her face from Squall. Each woman passed by and Squall could feel his eyes growing wider and wider with each pass.

 _This is a mess. Three. Three women, Seifer. Three. Female. Operatives._

"I expect to see you in my office tomorrow first thing, Ryzia!" Squall called to his secretary, watching as his secretary picked up the pace in her step to run away and hide more likely.

"Who were those other girls, daddy?"

"They're... uh... dancing instructors... Alisa." Squall responded quickly as he folded his arms over his chest, glaring at Seifer.

Seifer slipped a hand beneath his shirt to scratch at an itch as he laughed, "Oh ho, yeah... we weren't–"

"Seifer!" Squall shot his eyes to his daughter.

 _If you speak another word, Seifer, I swear to everything that exists in this world that I will..._

Seifer was quick to catch the threatening gaze and finally caught on, smiling down at Alisa as he invited them inside. "Yes! Dancing instructors. Very _flexible_... dancing instructors." He buckled his belt in mere seconds, pressing his back to the wall inside. "Your dear Uncle Seifer hasn't had a good _dance_ in a few years."

 _Oh will you just shut up..._

Squall shot him a look. It was embarrassing enough for him to have to watch his staff filed out like cattle. It was another for Seifer dangle it all in front of him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

Seifer reset himself, smiling politely. "Squall, won't you please _come_ inside–ahem, I mean _step_ inside...?"

Alisa took a single step before Squall planted a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Is it safe or is my daughter going to need therapy if we _step_ inside? I really don't need her to go to therapy, Seifer."

"If she's not in therapy yet for her parents..."

"Excuse me?" Squall raised a brow.

 _He did not just..._

"Nothing! It's good! Promise." Seifer winked as Squall begrudgingly ushered his daughter inside Seifer's quarters.

Squall was relieved that it was nowhere near the state he had expected it to be in. If there was one thing he could give Seifer, it would be that he kept a tidy space. There was much relief all around when Seifer closed his bedroom door but Squall couldn't put it out of his mind that there was likely another woman in there waiting for him.

"But... why so many?"

"Alisa, that's enough."

"Turns out I'm _really_ good at dancing..."

"Oh, for f–" Squall watched as Seifer snatched up a pair of peach colored lace panties from the chair by the table, stuffing them in his back pocket before Alisa took notice. He kicked the miscellaneous layers of clothes into the bathroom and shut the door. At the very least, he was making an effort.

"So, it's 'bring your daughter to work' day, huh...?"

"Something like that. She's suddenly developed this habit of sabotaging things when she doesn't get her way." Squall stood across from Seifer at the glass table in the middle of the room. His eyes went to his daughter who sat on the couch, holding up her book to read but she had been staring right at Seifer, legs dangling and kicking as she smiled.

Seifer smiled back at her but when he looked to Squall he seemed to have caught on Squall was worried. "Don't worry, she's safe on the couch. Not enough room to _dance_ on there anyway–"

"Rinoa and Selphie needed to go to Balamb for their fittings. I can't let Alisa out of my sight until she gets back."

"Well, you know I'm always up for babysitting but I'd have to take a shower first. Then again, you know Rinoa'd _never_ allow it..." Seifer looked over to Alisa. "She's a spirited girl, your child. I like her. Pity she looks like a little Mini Squall with the attitude of a Mini Rinoa."

Alisa popped her head up from her book, smiling. "Mama says I have daddy's eyes, ears and hair but I have her nose and lips and chin."

"And be glad you don't have your father's sense of humor..." Seifer cocked another wide grin, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "Or lack thereof."

"So, for an internee you seem to keep a fairly _busy_ schedule lately..." Squall noted the shadow under the bedroom door, directing the conversation away from his personal life.

Seifer turned, running his tongue over his teeth. "Yeah... she's my favorite dancing instructor thus far..." The virile blonde winked as he leaned on the table, a hand on his waist. "So _bendy._.."

"I don't need to know this. I _just_ came by to briefly go over the itinerary for the Summit." Squall opened the messenger bag slung across his body and handed Seifer a stack of papers.

"Oh, so I _am_ attending?"

"For the most part. Quistis advised that it's better that the press sees how well you've... reformed." Squall's attention kept going back to Seifer's door, watching the shadow. He went back to watching Seifer reading over his itinerary. "You won't be allowed in the speaking events in the second level classrooms or the auditorium. We'll be sending most of the cadets home for the weekend. Garden's going to be pretty full by the time everyone arrives later this evening. The events you have been clear to attend on the lower levels. You will however, be granted access for the dinner in the grand hall and the Summit Ball."

"Isn't it going to be a bit out of place if I'm out walking and talking about with dignitaries and other fancy people who make more money than we'd know what to do with?"

"I think you'll be plenty occupied with the list of guests who want to see you." Squall handed him a visitor list. He watched as Seifer's eyes seemed to brighten when he recognized certain names.

"Cid and Edea Kramer... Matron..." Seifer spoke with the hint of a smile, sounding comforted. "Wow, Sis...? Sis is gonna be here?" He looked up at Squall, almost excited. Squall thought he almost wanted to cry.

"She does want to see you, but Laguna has requested that either he or myself be present. You aren't allowed to be alone with her."

"I can sit with Uncle Seifer while he sees Auntie Sis!" Alisa's legs kicked against the couch. She informed Squall that morning she wasn't leaving her Grandfather or Aunts side.

"We'll see."

Seifer's smile faded as he nodded, "Yeah, that makes sense..." He flipped a page, a closed fist moving behind his back. "Do you think I should even go to this then? I can stay here – "

"And do what? _Dance?"_ Squall raised an eyebrow, earning an amused chuckle from Seifer.

"I already talked with Tomé about it. An active _dancing_ libido is a healthy sign so let's not knock the good thing I've got going on with a few girls from your staff." Seifer smirked, flipping a page.

 _A few. So far. I've counted four. Four girls, Seifer._

"That's kind of the problem there. You're _dancing_ with my staff and that causes problems for _me._.."

"Why? It isn't like you'd ever get a chance with them..." Seifer's mood took a quick twist and took Squall completely aback.

"That's another thing, this attitude of yours – I won't tolerate it."

"What? I said nothing that I wouldn't normally say! You're so sensitive these days, Leonhart... I liked you better when you were brooding and depressing."

"I'm not talking about that... your behavior in _general_ is unlike you. Something's not right. You're too different. It's been different since the morning you broke out of your cell."

Seifer shrugged, so nonchalant at Squall's tone of voice or authority. It was like he cared nothing for it, continuing to skim the visitor list, mouthing names as he went along.

Squall stood there, studying Seifer carefully trying to grasp why Seifer was so different. Both mentally and physically he had changed drastically. Seifer's physique seemed to have filled out and doubled in muscle mass since his arrival and Squall knew that he didn't gain it from exercising in the gym or running laps with Zell. Despite hosting a wild free-for-all in his quarters, Seifer was still well put together, his hair not even out of place in the slightest and – the bite marks!

 _They're gone... that's impossible..._

Squall leaned forward, reaching for the collar of Seifer's shirt and tugging it back. He caught just barely a glimpse of unmarked skin before Seifer shrugged away, staring at Squall as if he tried to kiss him.

"Personal space, Leonhart! You know I don't like being grabbed!"

"Your skin...where are the marks you just had?"

 _The bruises are gone too... that's not possible..._

Seifer checked his arm and lifted his shirt to examine his waist where the scratches _should_ have been. "Oh... that...right. It's nothing for you to be concerned about...now about this list–"

"This is absolutely the very thing I need to be concerned about... are you... I mean... can you actually _heal_ yourself or – I don't understand... I just saw–!"

" _Squall_."

 _(Still your mind. You never saw it. Nothing was ever there. You worry too much.)_

Squall felt like he was skipping gaps of time. He blinked, and Seifer would be standing somewhere else, be it a several inches to the left or leaning against the table. Even the look in Seifer's eyes would change the moment Squall blinked.

 _This doesn't make sense... am I losing my mind?_

Shaking his head, Squall brought the heel of his hand up to rub the cloudiness in his eyes as his mind slowly returned. "Sorry... um..."

 _What is going on?_

"Where were we? What were we talking about?"

Seifer pointed to the list. "The visitors–"

"Right." Squall watched as Seifer ran his fingers down the list of attendees. Squall leaned in, gesturing to the names. "So, this is the main reason for you to attend – this is the list of names of guests coming. Can you see if any of them have any ties to Syndicate?"

"Finally deciding on going with Zell's gut about them having influential political backers, eh? Couldn't just _listen_ to me, you just _had_ to wait for Chicken to get involved...I see how it is..."

"He was right about the grapple gun being manufactured. It was traced to a weapons depot in Long Horn Island. I needed to go beyond your word. I needed concrete evidence."

Seifer leaned closer, "What about the _accident_ in Timber last week? The one that decimated the Forest Owls mobile base?"

Squall cleared his throat. "We identified a detonator that was found on a rooftop. No prints, but it's from Long Horn as well." He watched Seifer nod slightly, studying the names. He quietly sucked at his teeth, shaking his head. The sound grated on Squall's nerves.

 _Wasn't I just talking about something else?_ _I could have sworn..._

"I can try to give you something but... most of these names are unfamiliar to me." Seifer looked again, shaking his head. "Yeah, I don't even recognize these people... _Justice Rupert Menelaus?"_

"He is head of the judiciary system in Galbadia. After Vinzer Deling they placed him in the seat of power over Galbadia. He authorized your release to Tomé and Irvine."

" _Artos Victarion? Eliza Peylt? Fury –_ "

Squall watched Seifer's muscles tighten. His calm and pleasant demeanor quickly fading as his face contorted into a hardened glare the longer he stared at the list of names. He watched as Seifer's arm began to shake from the strength of his tightening fist.

 _Alisa..._

"That's the other thing..."

"Caraway." Seifer spit out the name like a bitter poison. "Why is he coming?" Seifer continued to stare at the name, his voice low. He slapped the page down onto the table, clearly insulted.

"He's a council member. He _has_ to be here to represent Galbadia's military force." Squall slowly walked around to Seifer's side of the table. "Seifer, if you follow this itinerary, you should be able to avoid him entirely. It's asking a lot but –"

"You are asking for a _lot_ , Squall." Seifer brought his hands to his chest, pressing his palms together, clearly fighting back the control over his own rising temper.

"I know. But even if you don't know names, you may recognize faces _._ "

"Uncle Seifer? You're not going to hurt someone are you?" Alisa's sweet voice appeared behind Squall.

 _When did she move from the... nevermind. I'll deal with it later... I must really be tired._

Her father put a hand out, patting her arm, protecting her. "Mama said that you would but–"

"No..." Seifer's behavior suddenly relaxed, looking to Squall's child wearing a smile. "No, miss Alisa. That was a long time ago. That person is gone." Seifer's attention turned to Squall, his mouth dropping to a scowl, his voice a low growl. "I'm not in the position to make demands of you, but you keep that bastard away from me."

Squall nodded absently, distracted from the vibration of his phone. He retrieved it from out of his back pocket and viewed his missed messages. "Alisa, your grandpa's here." He and Seifer both cringed as they heard the high pitched laugh as she rushed to the couch to collect her drawing bag, leaving her book a crumpled mess on the floor, the door swung open and she was gone. "Alisa Raine!" Squall darted to the door, watching her jumping around out in the hall, itching to take off running. He put a hand out to her, a finger jutting down to the floor.

 _STAY._

He turned back to Seifer who handed him the book and slipped off his shirt. "This was... interesting. Now, if you don't mind..."

 _Goddamn... already?_

Squall crinkled his forehead. "Seriously?"

 _Why am I strangely okay with this? Should I be okay? Is this okay for him to do?_

Seifer held no joy in his face as he unbuckled his pants, walking toward the door. "Yeah. I'll let you know when I'm done."

 _You don't seem too happy._

"Are you... okay?" Squall wasn't completely oblivious to the shift in change Seifer had. On the outside Seifer seemed to fool everyone else but there was something about him that just felt wrong. It was hard to trust him the way everyone else seemed to. The oddest part of it all were the time gaps, moments that seemed small and insignificant but left Squall in a state of confusion. He watched Seifer turn from this weak lifeless husk into this remarkable display of human biology in just a few short months. Nothing about this made sense. Tomé's theories had to have been correct about Project Guardian, about how Creswell had been trying to push the human body to become an apex human among men.

"Yep. I'm doing alright." Seifer nodded, still distracted as he gestured Squall towards the door.

"Is _she_ gonna be okay in there?" Squall gestured to the door, watching Seifer suck on his bottom lip, seeming distracted, like he was listening to something in the other room.

"Hm? Oh yeah. She's _feisty_ , this'll just make it fun. It's actually um..." Seifer paused. "It's for science."

Squall's eyebrow cocked, his interest suddenly piqued. "For Science?"

"I will defer to the 'mutual non-disclosure agreement' I try to maintain with the women that I may or may not be getting intimate with." A cold smile tugged at Seifer's lips as Squall stepped outside into the hall.

Squall didn't want to know, Squall didn't need to know. He walked away as best he could without wanting to stop and narrow down the possibilities of who it was that was sleeping with Seifer.

Alisa beamed when her father approached, taking his hand. "I like Uncle Seifer."

"Why do you call him your Uncle? You have Uncle Kiros and Ward, Uncle Watts and Uncle Zell and Irvine..."

"You can never have too many uncles, and he's an orphan. He told me the day we met. I want to adopt him as my Uncle so he can be one of us." Alisa hugged her dad's arm, making her father smile. Despite her best efforts to get her ways, he loved her unconditionally. She was the very spirit of her mother that made him a better person.

He felt the tug on his arm as her feet quickly picked up speed the closer they got to the front gate. Her hand left his as she ran at full speed to the fifty-two year old man she called "Grampa 'Guna." It was clear there was no competition as to who her favorite was when Laguna Loire appeared.

"'Lisabear!" Laguna lifted his granddaughter in his arms, spinning her around in a big circle, ignoring his security detail as they gave him a wide berth. Squall nodded to Kiros and Ward who smiled warmly at the display. Squall watched on as Laguna knelt down on a knee and kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "Oh my goodness you're so big! Look at you!"

"I've missed you so much!" Alisa wrapped her arms around her grandpa again. Laguna laughed, squeezing her back as his gaze went to his son.

 _Finally. Something good can come from this day..._

Squall rested a hand on his hip and another on his leather messenger bag, acknowledging him in a slight nod. He couldn't contain his grin when Ellone stepped forward, looking as wonderful as ever in her dark grey short dress. She held a black patterned shawl over the front of her body, stopping in front of Squall.

"Sis..." Squall smiled, reaching in for a hug but felt Ellone's hands hold him at bay. She covered her mouth with her hands, hiding a smile.

"Squall, I wanted to tell you this in person, so don't be mad because you're the last one to find out..."

"Find out what?" Squall looked fearful, his eyes went to her hands as she pointed down to her belly. She opened her shawl and Squall immediately resisted the urge explode with happiness. He held his mouth open, looking completely dumbfounded and gleeful as she reached for his hand to place on her belly.

 _A baby?_

"Auntie's pregnant!" Alisa rushed up, her hands gently touching the belly. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'm just a little bit after the fourth month." Ellone watched as Squall beamed, looking up at her with a smile he only reserved for very few. "I figured if we're here at Garden we can all find out." His arms wrapped around her neck, hugging her tight.

"I'm so excited, but what about Olivar? He's here, right?" Squall looked around for her husband, not seeing him.

"I'm here, sweetling!" Ellone's husband Olivar, muscular in stature took Squall by surprise. Towering over Squall at 6'6, his suntanned skin made his eyes almost cyan in color. He wore a pair of horn rimmed glasses, giving him a very smart, dignified appearance. His jet black hair was styled, textured. He adjusted his black long sleeve shirt before giving Squall a warm hug. Olivar grinned, "Sorry, I was taking a look around. This place is absolutely lovely. You know, I've never had the opportunity to visit the Gardens."

"I'll be happy to give you a tour tomorrow." Squall offered. He liked Olivar. He was a field officer for the UC's GF Procurement team so he spent much of his time in old tombs and worn down places. His stories were usually entertaining, if not a bit boring when he dove into the archaeology side of things.

"That's after we find out about the baby of course," Ellone quickly brushed her thumbs under Squall's eyes. He blinked as he realized there was a tear that fell from his chin. He smiled wide again, reaching in for another hug. It didn't take long for Laguna to find his way into their embrace, wrapping his arms around his kids.

"I'm such a happy, happy old man."

Squall pulled back, smiling kindly to Laguna. "Congratulations. You're going to be a grandpa again." He felt Laguna lunge at him, wrapping his arms around Squall's smaller frame. It hurt, Squall fought through it, knowing that if he got it out of the way now he wouldn't have to deal with it later. It was the letting go part that seemed to be the most awkward.

"Sis."

"Laguna, he can't breathe... and he's the High Commander now..." Ellone's gentle hands released Squall from his hug. "Press is taking our photos..."

"Sorry! I ah, I'm so proud of both of you." Laguna scratched the back of his head, lifting Alisa onto his back. "Let's get settled in and go find something to eat!"


	17. Losing Control

**Note: Adult Content Warning**

* * *

It was like he was watching from across the room. The influence had taken him and placed him on a shelf while it took over his body, his impulses, his endless desire. Every action that manifested in his mind seemed to have been acted out right after. This was what it was like losing control.

He exhaled as his head hit the pillow, feeling his body respond to Tomé's motions, her hands pressed on his chest, nails digging in as they scratched him from chest to navel. Seifer pressed his head into the mattress, closing his eyes. His hands drifted to her hips, gripping hard as he rocked his hips up against hers. He opened his eyes, admiring her physique. She was like a goddess, her long red hair flowing around her in infrequent curls.

Seifer swallowed, having difficulty forming any syllables. The slow waves pleasure she was causing him drove Seifer stupid. The appetite for sex was becoming more and more ferocious, violent as he felt the waves washing over his body.

 _(͏̵T͟͞ak̵̴e͞͞ ̕h҉ȩr..̡.̨͢͜ ́rą̷v̸a̷g҉҉e her͟ ҉just a͢͡s ҉̴͏you̢ wa̕͜͜n̡̕te̷͠d́͘,_ _̴O͏͜d̷͢i̴͏n͘͢͟s̴̶̶͠͠ĺ̶̢á̷̵̢͟y̕͢e͟͞͡ŗ͢͡͏͝_ _.̷..̵͏)̶̛_

It was as if she blinked and he was on top of her. Tomé fell back onto the bed, almost as surprised as he was. Seifer felt as if electricity flowed through him. He felt energized, alive, like as if someone had turned on the switch in his brain.

He was not gentle when he entered her. Seifer wore a deviant smile as a sharp moan escaped her lips when he penetrated her a second time. He felt her nails digging into his back as he began pick up speed, becoming rougher, shallower, primal. His hands pulled her leg over his shoulder, he needed to get deeper inside of her.

Tomé stopped trying to hide her moans as he pressed her into the mattress. Seifer felt her hand as it snatched a handful of his blonde hair. He growled, baring his teeth as he thrust harder in response. He felt her hand release, running it lazily down his jaw. He turned his head slightly, his moans released into her palm through gritted teeth.

Her legs hooked his hips as he sat up, his hands tight on her thighs as his thrusts bruised her pelvis. She had a safe word when to stop, but he wouldn't give her the time to remember it. Liberated moans escaped from their lips as any remaining inhibitions flitted away with the sounds of their unreserved fervor. This was no longer sex. This was rutting like beasts in the wild. Pure. Straight. Violent. Fucking. He drove his cock in and out of her in a fluid motion, feeling the tight walls around him as they contracted and pulsated as he fucked her harder.

Tomé's tight fists gripped onto the sheets as she pulled them towards her head, her voice cracking as she screamed in bliss. Seifer lost count how many times he watched her make that face. The way she arched her back was drove Seifer into a carnal trance. His eyes dilated and he was suddenly unable to control his body.

She exhaled noisily, satisfied but Seifer wasn't finished, the influence wouldn't let him stop as he fucked her raw. She cried out in pain as he grabbed her neck, feeling the bones beneath the pressure placed in his thumb. The influence was wanting him to kill her. She winced as he pressed down, craning his neck as he continued to thrust. His head lowered to hers, their lips barely touching when she gasped out the safe word.

 _(̧̀C͏̶̨͜͠r̵̶̶̨u̡͏ś͞ḩ̵͘͞͝ ̛̀͜͝i̵͡t̛͟'̸́s̶͟͡ ̴̴̀́͝n͝҉̶e͏͏̀c̶̡̕͢͠k̡̢.̢̕͢͝.͢͏.̵͘͜͞͞b̴͏́ŕ͜e̵͜͡a̸͢͟͟k̡̨̧̢ ̡̛͠h̵́̀ȩ͝r̷̡͠.̢̛͜͡.̷̡̡͢.͏̸̛)̛͝_

The influence blocked it out, he saw it, he felt it on his own mouth but Seifer couldn't stop. It was an addiction, the itch was being scratched and he needed to see her die. The influence needed to feed off it. Tomé's hands began to scratch, each deep abrasion only made him need it more.

"Ss..Pl..eas..e..." Tomé strained as her face turned red then purple, and her arms fell to her sides. Her eyes had a look of true fear and he realized what he was doing. The taste of death began to tingle on the back of his tongue, he could smell the fear, taste it as it left it's sour taste. The color returned to his eyes and Seifer stopped immediately, realizing that he was trying to kill her.

His hand instantly moved away from her and she raggedly drank in gulps of air, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. "I'm okay..." She blinked, trying to slow her breath. Seifer lifted her up, brushing the hair from her eyes. That was when he saw the bruises and marks he had left in his trance. "Oh Tomé...Tomé, please forgive me." He whispered shamefully.

"I don't even... I've never... had..." Her heart was pounding deep in her chest. Seifer could see it without needing to hear it.

"Are you okay?" Seifer was checking her eyes, they were bloodshot but no broken vessels.

"I'm fine. See?" She drew in a breath, coughing. "I'll be okay. Are _you_ okay?"

"No...?" Seifer spoke honestly, looking down at her. He reached down and pulled himself out carefully. "I think I should take you to the Infirmary."

"No! No..." She pulled him down beside her, rubbing his arm to comfort him. He knew it as comfort but he could taste the fear. "I said that I'm fine... but is... um... is that blood?"

Seifer knew it was. The taste of it came from the air and danced on his parted lips. He reached up to the deep scratch engraved in shoulder blade, pulling back to examine the deep red on his fingers. "Uh...huh..." His eyes fluttered, he was exhausted. The cuts on his shoulder weren't the only ones. They covered his body from when Tomé fought him off. He looked down at her thighs and felt ashamed that he was so rough. The sweat that mixed in with the blood made them sting. His body pulsed, the hunger was satisfied for the time being. He pressed his head into the pillow, drifting off to sleep for what felt like an eternity.

It wasn't long after that when he woke up to the sound. His eyes opened, watching as Tomé was furiously scribbling in a notebook. Every penstroke was like it was right against his ear.

He felt the sheet covering his hips pull as he rolled to his side, catching her attention. "I lost control."

"It's what I asked you to do. Throat hurts a bit, but I'm fine." She smiled as he sat up, his back pressing against the cold headboard. He glanced back at his shoulder, his wounds had healed already.

"It's not fine when I almost killed you."

"And you didn't. So... I learned tonight that it takes about an hour for your wounds to close if you're asleep. How are the urges? On a scale of 1 – 10?"

Seifer chuckled, "That's a first. I've never been surveyed after a round of fucking."

Tomé peered up at him from her glasses, "It's fucking for _science_. Number please."

Seifer couldn't come up with one at the top of his head. The feeling was always there. "I don't know, five?"

"Remember that we are doing this for. If intercourse takes away the urges, that's great. Killing someone because of the urges, not so great." She cleared her throat, pulling the sheet back up around her exposed breasts. "Do you ever feel anything below five?"

 _No._

"Yes."

"Do you hear the voice?"

"It's quiet." Seifer closed his eyes, his head leaned against the wall as he crossed his arms. "And Irvine is totally fine with this?"

"We signed a non-disclosure. No questions, no jealousy. What about any other senses? You said you could hear me writing when Squall was here earlier."

 _Ink, sweat, blood, sex, arousal, apricot..._

"No."

"Feelings or urges of suicide or self harm?"

"No."

"Feelings or urges to harm others?"

 _Yes._

"No."

It was Tomé's idea when she found out he stole her intern for a quick midnight coupling in the Infirmary. If she had been a moment later he would have likely killed the girl. She wanted to study the hunger, identify it. The transfusions weren't doing anything to help so they made the decision to stop them weeks ago without Squall's knowledge. When Tomé came to him with the idea it embarrassed Seifer at first, but when she showed her eagerness and cause for genuine concern the influence had already took his control and he was drilling her into the mattress.

He knew she had to have been sore this time around when she wobbled out of his bed and carefully slipped on her clothes. If only she had the same powers of healing. The changes in his body didn't seem to dissipate but they weren't improving any longer. Seifer was at peak health, peak fitness and peak strength.

Living God, as Creswell called him. He was an apex predator, and he knew he was dangerous. He didn't even feel human any longer.

It wasn't hard to influence those around him. It was Ryzia who first proved that she would act on her own wants and needs. He never forced her into it, but his influence coaxed her, dangling sweet release above her nose as she followed him. The more he did it, the easier it had become and the more he did it, the more he craved to do it.

Seifer's fears fell upon his mind. He was too rough with Ryzia their first night. He had claimed a few virgins before, back when he was a student in Garden. But back then he was gentle, seductive, sweet. Fucking though, fucking made Seifer want more. He felt pleasure when they screamed, and when the smell of blood hit him it drove him into the frenzy. That was what terrified him, but they came back for more. Tonight's first trial with Tomé was enough. He needed to stop before it got out of hand.

He wiped the sweat off his brow and side of his face. The last three days staying in his room had kept the humidity high. He opened a window to let the summer breeze in and went to take a shower. The cold water felt amazing as he washed himself clean. He needed to mentally prepare himself for seeing Matron, Cid, Ellone... He didn't know what he was going to even begin to say.

 _Defeated... useless fool..._

The last time he saw Matron, she was commanding him to stand and fight for her. He knew that it wasn't her. None of it was.

Seifer stared at his foggy reflection, once again in awe of himself. He turned his head, examining his own hard, lean frame. His muscles glistened from the moisture as he turned his body. He no longer considered himself human. Everything about him seemed designed to near-perfection. He turned, looking at his back, bare from the scratches, bites, bruises and marks he had endured during his escapades with Tomé.

His phone buzzed, Squall again for the hundredth time.

 _Where are you? Dinner starts at 8._

 _Be there in 20. Don't flip out._

Seifer sauntered into his room and pulling the towel off his waist.

 _Squalls pissed. All here waiting on u FYI_

 _Don't rush me, I will be there when I get there._

Seifer sent the message to Zell, surprisingly calm, as he slipped into his black briefs and socks. He watched himself in his mirror as he slipped on his white dress shirt, naturally arrogant enough to prefer that his arms were too tight to properly fit into the sleeves. His cell phone was buzzing as he put on the vest.

He was given two identical suits, one a deep matte black and another a textured grey. Tonight was the textured grey, custom fitted by the same tailor who makes the SeeD uniforms had hung above his bed. The leather detail across the shoulders stopped at the sleeves, giving it a low-key, minimalist look. He slipped it on, fastening the silver buttons as he admired himself in the mirror. The jacket with its standing collar and off center buttons that led up to the neck gave him a much slimmer, less aggressive appearance.

He unbuttoned the first three, letting the collar rest, the dinner was formal, but not royally so.

 _Regal._

Seifer hurried to the bathroom, quickly styling his tapered hair with product – something Tomé had convinced him into using. He tousled his hair, gently pushing it back to give it some lift.

Irvine entered his room when he was giving himself one last check in the mirror, catching himself gazing at his own devilishly handsome features of his form.

"You'll be the prettiest belle at the ball." Irvine teased, pulling at his arm. "I don't want to miss the introductory toast, let's go."

Seifer clicked his tongue as he gave himself one last look before grabbing his phone and card, heading out the door. Zell met them outside the room, following along with the two taller men.

Seifer adjusted his cuffs as they walked, feeling rushed as Irvine and Zell explained Council Summit Dinners. Don't talk to anyone unless spoken to, only officials can make toasts, don't get drunk, don't shake your legs, don't throw food...

They were nearing the elevators and Seifer began to steel himself for the closed in space. He looked down, watching as the cuff was already undone.

"Are you nervous?" .

"Me? Never." The sharply dressed blonde smirked, shooting a sideways glance at Irvine as they hurried to the elevators.

"Don't be. You'll be fine."

"I'll be the least popular guy in the ballroom."

"Well, the ladies love you." Irvine chuckled, slapping Seifer on the back.

"No kidding." Zell looked up, watching Seifer make a sideways grin. "Any chance you could leave some for us?"

"Five years is a long time, guys. I needed to catch up." They ascended the steps, Seifer kept his head down as he passed a group of the Unified Council's SeeD Omega Force, their own private reserve of top SeeD Specialists.

 _Gun oil..._

Seifer's head reeled around, watching as a woman with piercing grey eyes turned and looked at him with suspicion. He must have looked crazy watching them with his mouth open.

"Dude, they're fine with you. The UC has your back." Zell reassured, responding to a message on his phone.

"Yeah, we'll see, won't we?" Seifer turned his head back to his hand, the cuff link did not want to fasten.

They heard the ding and more people stepped off. Seifer stepped forward, finally getting it to fasten.

 _Magnolias..._

It was like something had hooked his senses, sending his awareness reeling all around him. Seifer stopped in his tracks as it stunned him. The scent of it – calling it a scent wasn't enough. He closed his eyes, his lips parted as he drank in the taste.

 _Sweet honeysuckle._

Seifer could sense the body of it, catching in notes of a pulse of sweet, the color of amethyst. He breathed it in deep, feeling the shape and texture, the taste and movement of the sweet body of it's embrace. His body was guided to the elevator as he turned his head to the woman walking by. He watched as her deep brown ringlets bounced behind her, the nape of her neck soft, delicate. She looked almost ethereal, like a ghost, a memory. He watched her as he was pulled backwards into the elevator. His heart skipped as he watched her vanish.

He saw his reflection in the stifling elevator. Seifer was speechless, unable to form a single string of letters together to form a word.

Irvine carefully studied Seifer's expression, cocking his head around him to get a better view. "Hey... Seifer?"

Zell looked up from his phone, watching the reflection in the elevator as well. Seifer's hands were still held to his chest, his fingers frozen on the silver cuff links.

 _(Push̨ it ҉o̕ut ҉óf̷ y͟o͡u̶r̡ ̢m͜ind͜,̧ ̶͢s͘͞h̨̛e'͏̢̢s͢͝ g͟o̡͝n͡e͏ f̨̡ơ̸̛r̵e̕v̸̸̧e͟͟r̴̨.̸̶._ _Fi̢͜l̴t҉h̢y̸̧!̧̛͜ ̷V̶i҉́l̵͟͡e!̴͜ ͝͠W͟e͏aḱ̨!̛)̴͜ ̴͠_ _)̨̨_

Seifer cringed, pressing his fingers into his temples. "Nothing, I'm fine."

(̛͘͟Hèr ͟͞e͏̵̀s҉͝s͡è͘͠n͜͝c̕͢e͘͞҉ ͘͢͠is ̀t͏ą̸̕int̵̸͢ȩ͘͝d̸̶!̧͢ ͏R͘͏U͝͝͏I̢̛͞N̷EḐ̴͟.͜͡ ̧́I̢̛͟m҉̶pų͜͢ŗę͝...͏)͞

"You look pale, man." Irvine's voice was the last thing Seifer needed to hear. "Everything is okay...you're okay, you look fantastic..."

"Yeah..."

They stepped off the elevator, Zell and Irvine casually guiding Seifer as he seemingly lost any ability to function without their help. By the time Seifer's mind cleared he was in the great hall, reserved only for events as grandiose as a Summit. Press was held back behind rope as they flashed cameras as the trio entered. They were a few minutes late, but people were still standing, conversing. As they walked down the white carpet into the hall he watched the attention turn on him. He recognized faces of the Galbadian military, ranking officers that he once commanded. A few saluted him, seeming unaware that it wasn't Seifer but Ultimecia's influence that commanded him. Everyone was gathered and scattered around them, members of Dollet, Timber, Fisherman's Horizon, Trabia and Shumi were here.

Alisa ran out of the crowd, charging her three uncles. She wore a deep maroon dress that was showered in rhinestones and all things that sparkled. She stopped bend her legs into a delicate curtsy.

Seifer, Irvine and Zell all three responded with a stand at attention, followed with a formal bow. Those that had witnessed the gesture made approving 'aww's' as she took Seifer and Zell's hands, leading them to the table.

"Daddy, I found them!"

"Yep. She did." Irvine grinned, taking his seat.

Seifer caught the icy glare that Rinoa shot to him as he held his daughter's hand. He wanted everything to make a snide remark, to stoop to her level. He couldn't help it that her own kid liked him more. Squall smiled as he reached for his daughter as she passed by, missing her by seconds.

The mood was different, almost peaceful, romantic as he got closer to the table. Seifer looked up, seeing the ornate chandeliers lit up, small scatters of sparkling lights scattered the sheer white canopy that gathered at the ceiling in the center of the hall. The Unified Council's blue and white accents were prominent in the flowers on the tables, the fabrics that were spun around the columns and the tablecloths. Selphie wasn't kidding about the time she put into all of it to make just a single dinner happen. The numbers of what all of it cost would make Seifer's head spin.

Squall walked with Seifer, gathering the attention of the crowd of people surrounding a person that Seifer couldn't see. The patrons parted and in an instant, Matron was there in front of him dressed in lavender. Her smile was bright, happy and it reflected the emotions that Seifer wore on his own face.

As he stepped closer, she held out her arms, inviting him into an embrace. His smile faded as his senses picked up a different smell.

 _Rosewater. Sickness, illness, love._

He felt her warm hands take his, her skin the color of lily flowers. So pale, her wrists so thin. He followed his arm up to her shoulder, neck and her eyes, the vibrant gold they once held seemed dim, darker.

Seifer could feel everyone watching them. His chest began to feel pressure, their eyes made his skin crawl. He drew in a breath, freezing when Edea pressed a hand to his cheek. The residual power in her washed him with a warm comfort. He closed his eyes, humbled.

"Seifer, my knight."

Edea drew him into her embrace, pushing all thoughts out of his mind. Seifer felt the sting in his throat, he wanted to cry.

"You're dying." He whispered, almost like a child. His voice was quiet, only loud enough for her.

"Yes," His Matron whispered softly, planting a kiss on his temple. "I am."

"Is it my fault?" His voice caught in his throat. "Did I...did I cause this?"

"No, my bravest child, no."

"Can you forgive me? I didn't come to see you sooner..." He held her tighter, towering over Edea.

Edea's laugh was kind, her hands rubbing across his back. "You were already forgiven." She pulled away, planting a finger to his chin. "We _will_ talk more. You're going to be very busy this weekend." She locked her arm in his, addressing the growing crowd.

Seifer composed himself quickly as press crowded their table. He felt Edea's energy as she took his hand, holding it tight. They stood as posed as they allowed cameras to capture the two of them together again. Seifer could only cringe when he thought of what the headlines would say.

"Hello Seifer."

 _A pulse of orange blossom... Life, new, pure..._

Seifer turned to see Ellone, looking absolutely breathtaking in her lavender sequined gown that stopped at her knees. "Hello, Ellone." He bowed, smiling as she playfully swatted his arm and pulled him toward her.

Their hug was warm, quiet. It had no need for words. Seifer could tell that he was gently accepted and forgiven by her. It was liberating to feel so accepted by those he had once wronged.

"I hear our Sis is going to be a mother?" He smiled, keeping his gaze on hers.

"I'm finding out if it's a boy or a girl tomorrow. Would you like to join us when we do?"

Seifer nodded, reaching in for a second hug.

"Ah, there you are, sweetling!"

 _Gun oil._

Seifer's eyes turned up to find a man approaching. He slowly lifted his head, feeling Ellone break away and reach for this man's hand. He watched as the man held her hands to his lips, planting tender kisses.

 _Who are you?_

Ellone turned back to Seifer, her eyes beaming with delight. "I want you to meet my husband, Olivar."

 _(͘T͝h̷i̡͡s ̴on͜͜e͝ ̶i̕s͏ ͡d͘͞įf͟fe̸͜r̷̕͝è̛͝n̴͞͞t͘͜͡.̢̨ ͞͞Y̵o̸u̵ c̡͞a̵n s̴͢͞e͘n̢̛͝s̨e ͏hi̸̧s ̀҉͘ḿ̕a͏̶rk̶̢.́̀_ _̴O͏͜d̷͢i̴͏n͘͢͟s̴̶̶͠͠ĺ̶̢á̷̵̢͟y̕͢e͟͞͡ŗ͢͡͏͝_ _.̸́͘.̢҉) ̵̀͘_

Seifer tensed when he grew closer, he could taste something tangy in his mouth that was difficult to pinpoint. His hand went up like an automaton, feeling the taller man close in, overwhelming Seifer.

"Seifer Almasy! I've heard so much about you, what a wonderful opportunity get to finally meet the great Sorceresses Knight!"

The words stung him, feeling almost intimidated. His eyes scanned across the sea of familiar faces, realizing he was the only one who wasn't smiling. He quickly corrected himself, gripping his hand tighter in a firm handshake as he forced a smile on his lips. "Yes...well, former, technically. Not a knight any longer."

"So what does one do after retirement? I would love to have you on my Procurement team in Centra. We're working on collecting some rather fascinating specimens and you have proven yourself to be quite the survivor." Olivar's bright eyes and charming smile burned into Seifer's mind. His thoughts drifted as he studied them, feeling that his warmth was a feigned attempt at concealing an ulterior motive. "Is everything all right, Seifer?"

"Fine." Seifer retracted his hand, rubbing his fingertips with his thumb as he rested it by his side. "I don't mean to be rude but your eyes are very..."

"Aren't they striking?" Ellone smiled.

"I got them from Father," Olivar turned. "I'd introduce you but it seems he may be with our people."

"Your people?" Seifer looked confused.

"Oh, Father works for the Humanitarian Sciences Division in Esthar." Olivar held Ellone close to his chest. "It's how we met. We both volunteer."

"How admirable."

As the lights dimmed, everyone took their seats. As long as Seifer kept his presence near Edea, he felt calm, human. To everyone else this was a regular thing, to Seifer, this was the thing that he dreamed of being a part of. The energy in the room was so open and light.

Everyone made light conversation as they served the first course of a fine almost luminescent vegetarian soup that represented the prodigality of Esthar. Seifer seemed to have had no problem taking in the flavors, his senses at a calm level. He drank more of the wine they brought from the Shumi Tribes than actually spend any time eating anything substantial. The main course was a dish that served Balamb Halibut, to which Seifer spent plenty of calculated efforts to avoid, picking at the greens served with it instead. The third course was a delicacy from Dollet, Lemon Tart with with a Lime Mousse. Seifer had never been around so much extravagance.

The last time that Seifer had remembered doing anything fancy like this had been for the time he had taken Nino to see the play LOVELESS in Deling City. They had gone to a restaurant afterward that served the most extravagantly overpriced food either of them had ever ate. The wine was fairly delicious, he did remember getting a bit tipsy after a few glasses.

 _Meet me outside, need to talk to u – urgent._

 _Working on something. Later._

Seifer put away his phone and watched as the band played romantic jazz while everyone danced. He watched in comfort as Squall danced with Alisa, Irvine and Tomé and Cid and Edea held one another close, seeming to be having a great time. Everyone else seemed to be standing and conversing with other members of the council. Earlier in the evening Zell had excused himself, rushing off to do who-knows-what. His phone buzzed at him again and Seifer reached for it, looking at the sender and stuffed the phone in his pocket. Whatever Zell had to tell him could wait. He was busy drinking his wine and keeping his emotions calm and collected as he studied Olivar and Ellone together on the dance floor. There was something off about this man and he aimed to figure it out.

Seifer didn't need to look to know who it was that approached him. "Rinoa." He tipped back his wine glass, taking in more of the red.

"Well... you're looking awfully _Seifer-like."_

"What does that even mean?" He felt as she plopped in the seat next to him, pouring the bottle of wine she brought with her into her glass and setting it down on the table in front of him. Seifer turned to look at her in her shimmering black dress, the slip up the side showing just a hint of leg all the way up to her knee. It made him smile, knowing exactly what she hid beneath her dress. Seifer kept his eyes up to her face for the most part but not without stealing a small glance to the ample view of cleavage from her shorter position.

"You're sitting there, with your... annoyingly handsome, smug, cocky face...you look good in a suit, but that's pretty much it for you."

"Ooh, saucy Rinoa. It's been even longer since I've seen you." Seifer choked back a smug grin. The wine was making him a bit spirited.

"I hate you."

"Hate me? Please, you hardly know me now." Seifer reached for her bottle, filling his glass and setting the bottle opposite his side of Rinoa. "I'm actually being nice to you, _gentlemanly_ even. Did you know that Matron described me to Laguna as _gentlemanly?_ "

 _This wine is making me talk to much._

"Look, I've had a rough few weeks and... I think I want to propose something to you." She slurred her words, leaning forward as she crossed her legs, turning her body toward him.

"No, Rinoa, not _even_ for old time's sake." He offered his sweetest apologetic smile when she looked at him.

"That's not even what I wanted to – UGH!" He felt her ineffectual little fist hit his arm. When he didn't budge, she stood, leaning into his ear. People were starting to stare. "No, I'm _proposing_ that you stay the hell away from my daughter you _psychopath. Murderer!"_

"Look into my eyes..." Seifer fluidly stood, towering over her as he narrowed his blue eyes. She was caught in his gaze, dropped to a relaxed stance. "Now listen. I had a daughter – was going to have one. Your father took her from me."

"Oh..." She exhaled, her eyes never blinking, mirroring Seifer's.

"I would have been an excellent father. I never had the chance to find out for myself. Because of _your_ father."

"I'm sorry." Rinoa whispered, a sad expression displayed across her features.

"Yeah, me too." Seifer narrowed his eyes when he sat down, watching her sit with beside him. He brought his hand, placing it on hers. "Your daughter? I like her. She's spry and compassionate. She loves her parents _very_ much. She's also stubborn and a bit naive, much like her mother." He could feel the tendrils of black matter manifesting and slinking up her wrist. Seifer smiled, "I would never hurt your daughter and I will protect her as best I can because for whatever twisted reason, I will always have a piece of me that will always love you..."

"I will always have that too..." She looked tired, sleepy. He could feel the tendrils were taking her power, her energy.

"I know," Seifer reeled them back when he noticed them climbing up her forearm. "But remember that it was you who left me, it was never the other way around. You left me for Squall the moment that you thought I was dead."

"Yes... I am so sorry..."

Seifer hated when people apologized to him. It always felt so empty. "When it comes to your daughter? Trust that I will never harm her. You will let me see her, draw pictures with her, even dance with her. I'm her Uncle Seifer and you're fine with that."

"I am. You absolutely can." She smiled, her brown eyes fluttering.

"Now you're going to stand up, slap me across the face and storm off in one of your moods because I'm such a cocky bastard and yet you can't help but find me _incredibly_ sexy in a suit." He smiled, taking his hand off hers.

The moment his gaze broke her concentration, Rinoa did exactly as he commanded her. He took the slap with a smug grin and returned to his wine. She stomped her foot, screaming. "I don't know what I ever saw in you! You're so incredibly sexy in a suit but SO annoyingly cocky and – and h-horrrible! HORRIBLE MAN! Ugh!"

"No, wait, stop, come back..." He called after her, his eyes never leaving the dance floor. Seifer finished his glass and sitting back in his seat. He crossed his legs, feeling the strange sensation that they were burning. Seifer went to sit his wineglass down but found he couldn't move.

 _(̢.͝.̴͞͠.̵̛͡Som̡͞e̴̶͝th̴i͠n̡͞g҉͡҉ ́i̴̡͞ş͟ ́ẃrǫ̵͝n̷͞ģ..̧̕͜_ _W̸̶̕h͜a҉̡t͝ ̴h̢à̶̕v͝e̸͞ ̶̡͠y̴͢o͡u̴̕ ͏̶͘d̴̡̀ón̷̢̕e̸?!)̨͘͞_

He looked to Quistis who walked by with Kiros. He tried to call out her name and couldn't. His mouth opened but words wouldn't form. He was completely frozen.

"It's an effective paralytic, isn't it?"

 _(҉̧͠C͏̴͡͠҉A̧R̨͘A̵҉̕͜͞Ẃ̛Ą̴̶Y̧̢͢!)͡͞͠_

Seifer felt the wine glass in his hand slip, expecting it to shatter when it hit the marble floor. Instead he watched as a blur of grey hair reached down to catch it. "We had a few 'mutual friends' that used it often, or at least they used to. It's an absolute shame that they are no longer with us but such is life." He sat it in front of Seifer with a white gloved hand, sitting with his back to the dance floor.

 _You͡ ͠ha̧ve̕ n̶o çoņtro͟l̀.́..͠_

"I knew we wouldn't be able to talk like civilized people, what with you new... abilities and your not so new disregard for authority."

Seifer tensed.

"Oh stop fighting you arrogant boy. It will wear off soon enough and it will begin to hurt the more you fight it. So I've been wanting to clear the air about that night, it seems like ages ago now since that fateful evening. I just wanted to let you know it was nothing personal..." Seifer could hear the sound of ice clinking against the glass as he sipped his drink. "Well, it was a bit personal but ultimately it was just... business."

He took another drink. "You see, you were a particularly irritating thorn in Galbadia's side. You took my military, my Garden and my authority and you did with them as you pleased. So when I was approached by the Syndicate with a proposition to get you far away, how could I say no? It was a win/win for me really. Either you stay gone and end up in a mass grave, or you return as a perfect weapon that can be controlled and turned to whatever ends I may need you for." Seifer's eyes narrowed.

 _You͢ d̷iḑ thiś ̧to ̸m̡e̶.͘..yǫù...̕_

Seifer did his best to swallow, exhaling noisily through his nose.

"Oh? You thought I had no idea what they were going to do with you? Of course I knew. Not only that, I lent them a few scientists to ensure the projects success." Caraway finished his drink, placing his empty glass on the table next to Seifer.

 _You failed,C̡ár͟àw͜ay͜. ̛I'm the one w̷h̷o̶ ͞is i͞n co̕ntr̕ơl. I am the ͝o͟n̢e͝ ̀w̨h̵o͘ is ͝fr͜ee͘ now..._

Seifer felt a hand sit on his shoulder. His throat let out a small grunt, fighting like hell to move.

"Now understand this boy. You're not free. You've not escaped. You're simply a lab rat that left his cage but we still have you in our lab. Soon we will get you again and we will finish what was started. Then... you're mine."

 _I will not be c̛on͞t̨ro͝l̛l̡e͘d.̶ I will not._

Seifer began to feel his fingers move again as he felt his wine glass was placed back in his hand. Caraway reached across the table for a red wine, pouring it into glass. "Now enjoy the party. Mingle, talk and spend all the time you can with these people. Soon, that time will have passed for you."

He felt Caraway's presence leave and Seifer looked at the glass, watching as his hand shattered the wineglass. Seifer's eyes looked to his fist, watching as it unclenched, bits of glass clattered to the marble floor, as well as the deep red blood. He watched as a hand draped a a white napkin around it, holding it tight. Seifer felt his head turn, looking up at Irvine.

"C'mon buddy, let's get this taken care of. I saw what happened – Tomé's on her way to the bathroom waiting for us."

"Nn..." Seifer felt his body move as long as Irvine guided him. This drug was powerful, dangerous. One after another he watched his feet carry him out of the dining hall and into the hallway. As they walked into the hallway, Seifer kept his hands tightly to his chest.

Seifer felt nothing but blind rage. He could hardly see the world around him well enough to distinguish all but a few familiar notes of décor. The sounds and scents were taking over his ability to think, he wanted to make Caraway suffer long. Suffer long for the lives he took, for the five years of hell he endured and for the influence that gave him the means to destroy him.

 _You ͝t̵h̛ink ͘y̧ou͜'̴ve ͘won Car͝a҉w͢a͟y.̀.. ͡I w͠il̶l ̴s̢h̢ow ̨yo͝u̢ t̵he k̛i͢nd ́of ͠ẁeapon̶ y͏oú ̶ḩel̷p̢ed cr̡ea͡te̕.͡ Wa̢t̛ch a̛s ̨i̴t de͠st͠roýs ̶yo̵ư..̡. ́_

There was a moderate crowd of people and thankfully the press had moved inside to speak with members of the Unified Council. Seifer watched as Zell passed them, distracted by his phone.

With Irvine trying to guide him, Seifer's unbroken gaze kept him from noticing the woman in the black dress. Without breaking his awkward stagger, Seifer felt his body shoulder check her, sending his body turning back to hers.

 _Magnolias...honeysuckle..._

Their eyes met and in an instant he felt every hair on his body stand at attention. He looked into her green eyes and he knew that it was her. His heart beat boomed in his ears as he felt the scream that rose and threatened to break free as Irvine pulled him along, unknowing.

Ṉ̵̛̙̺̗͙̯̰̅ͭ̉̍ͫ̇͊̂̾ͥ̃̀͞ͅȋ̀͊̆ͦ̃̆̋̅͏̸͈̜̯̠͇͎̞̪̙͙̭͙̺͘n̶ͥ̒ͯͣ̈́̊ͤ̿̀ͩ̀̚҉̧̝̦̝̲͖̰̞̼̙̠̜̙̦͓̭͉̝͎ö̤̲̙̜̩ͦͧ̒̈́̀͠!̨̛̛̦͖͓̏̂ͮ̒̉̈̌̓̆͗̀͞!̨̢̛̘̘̬̟̳͎̟̘̗͖̓̇͛̀ͯ̋̓͐͋͐̋͒̓ͭ̒͊͋̓ͭ͝͠!̡́̂͆́̈́ͨ͆ͣ̏ͤ̔̓̂̾͡҉̵͇͉̯̪̼̖̤͉̫̟̕  
ͥ͋̈́ͬͮ͋̍͐̔̃̿̉̉̊͒̽̚͏̷̢̯͍̦̪̤͍̻̳͉̞͔̩̀͜


	18. Dead in the Water

"Yes, the tattoo is real, welcome to Balamb Garden."

It was the fifteenth time he had heard a someone ask that morning. The Unified Council Summit was beginning and he was assigned greeting detail by the High Commander.

Zell stood in his SeeD uniform, clean shaven and neatly put together. Absolutely nothing was out of place on him as he stood beside Quistis, shaking hands with some of the most important people running the world he found himself in.

"Yep, hurt pretty bad, welcome to Balamb Garden."

Zell didn't get it for the pain. The tattoo represented that he was a warrior, a skilled fighter. If half of these people knew anything about Balamb's first civilizations they would understand that it was the mark of a fighter. Tribes from back then would mark their bodies once they reached a certain age. If they could withstand the pain they would be sent in for training. Zell got it the year he began studying for the SeeD exams.

"Nope, don't regret it, welcome to Balamb Garden."

His Ma was furious when he walked in and learned that his uncle knew a guy who knew a guy who would give a tattoo to a 16 year old without a parent giving permission. He knew he would be paying for it for the rest of his life when he walked in and watched her reaction upon seeing it. She was so disappointed that her 'sweet boy, her beautiful boy' had paid someone to mark up 'her son's handsome face.' Eventually she came to terms with it, and eventually Zell wanted to believe that it grew on her.

"Welcome to Balamb Garden, enjoy your visit, please don't stare at me."

He never regretted his choice, but he sometimes wished it would have been easy to hide it. It made him a target of Seifer's bullying, made him easily distinguishable to enemies, it made him easy to detect should someone come for him.

" _Maybe we should carve out his tattoo. It's a nice tattoo. I like it. I think I want to keep it."_

Zell shrugged off the haunting voice in the back of his mind. He understood when Squall removed him from his position Infiltration and Recon duty when he finally returned. He had been benched, sat aside. At least he still held the rank of Lieutenant Commander to Balamb, for whatever that was worth. The ranks hardly ever meant anything anyway.

"Welcome to Balamb Garden, I know, it's amazing how they just promote anyone these days as Lieutenant Commander, despite their choices in how they decorate their bodies."

His hand brushed across the healed mark that was left by this psychopath, this agent that wanted him dead. He had ruined the tattoo he was once so proud of. Every time Zell looked in the mirror he could see it. The thin pink line that forever marked him as the survivor he had always been. Zell wouldn't allow himself to claim the title of victim. He wouldn't give Syndicate that power over him any longer.

" _Welcome to Balamb Garden, yes I know I could get it removed, I like it, thanks for the backhanded compliment asshole."_

Zell's shoulder hurt from having to extend his arm so many times to greet the hands of dignitaries. Each time he reached for a salute the tightened muscle reminded him of his last mission. The memories were always there, waiting for him. In his dreams he thought of the man who tortured him. He never saw his face, he never knew who he was. All he could remember was his voice.

" _Maybe we should carve out his tattoo. It's a nice tattoo. I like it. I think I want to keep it."_

His mind was still foggy from the time he spent at the Compound. He remembered flashes of it, bits and pieces of intense and searing pain. When the memories came back he remembered the pain in his shoulder, running through the woods and the feeling when he and Nino had grappled onto a moving train, taking flight.

There was so much that happened that Zell didn't know what to do once he got back home. Surgery had to wait. Squall wouldn't listen. Quistis was dealing with her own problems. Seifer was back in their lives. Nino was still missing. When Quistis would come to check on him he would put on a happy face, seem optimistic. Zell tried, and he gave his best but it wasn't enough.

Zell withdrew and found himself doing nothing but sleeping. Constantly sleeping, waiting for his body to heal so he could get back out there. He needed to get back out there and fight but the more he tried to recover, the more damage he caused on his own body. Irvine had brought him a 'green' get well gift in the form of rolled cigarettes. Those didn't last long. He spent several days sitting in his window and blowing out the smoke, taking in the natural high, trying to feel better but it only made things worse.

He would smoke and play video games nonstop until he would either fall asleep at the controller or just spend hours nonstop shooting and killing zombies until he started feeling like a zombie himself. Zell woke up to nightmares of him cutting out his tattoo, the one his torturer wanted so bad. He woke up suffocating, unable to breathe, struggling to catch his breath. And then there was the recurrent 'drowning' nightmares. He found himself being at peace with the fact that Nino was going to cut his throat, he almost wished that she had. At one point he found himself trying to shave and almost cut his own throat.

Zell spent a lot of time staring at himself, realizing that his boyish features were fading and he had become more angled, defined. It scared him how much older he looked, and the facial hair seemed to age him even more. His body was covered in scars, the gnarled triangular marks on his back deformed him. It was hideous. He was twenty-six years old and what did he have to show for it? His longest relationship ended so horribly he had a hard time committing to the girls he dated. He was sitting on a top position in Garden that wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. Zell considered talking with Omega Force, curious if the robot mentality was right for him. Watching Nino fight scared him, but he wondered if it would have been easier to completely disconnect. Completely turn off all the switches in his brain that made him human.

" _Have you ever just...stopped and questioned everything? Wondered where you went wrong? What you could have done different?"_

Eventually he gave in and stopped eating, stopped smoking altogether. The pain medication was enough for him to get by. The pain meds made him sleep. The longer he slept, the easier it was to get through the days.

In truth it was Seifer who dragged him out of his depression. It was the day Zell had resolved he was going to take his life. He couldn't live like this any longer, not being able to feel or see or do anything. People had stopped coming by, too busy and wrapped up in their own lives. He just wanted to end, sleep eternally.

After the last of his food ran out in his Dormitory unit, Zell had no choice but to resurface. He didn't want to eat but he thought it was a good enough final gesture, a final gift to his own self. Good enough for someone as useless as he was. Unshaven, no shower, same black sweats with the cuffs pulled up to his knees and black long sleeved shirt – the one he wore so much that it rubbed holes for his thumbs to slip through. The fabric was so thin that it defined the tank top beneath. It was his favorite shirt that he never got to wear anymore. He managed to get himself up, hunt down his shoes and find his way to the cafeteria. Nobody had come to visit him aside from Quistis – and half the time it was for information about Syndicate. They had all been busy with Seifer after his incident in the Training Center.

The cafeteria was serving lunch, some upbeat tune played on the intercom above the tables. No sweet breads, per usual. He didn't really have the appetite for them anyway. A bowl of mixed fruit, cut fresh, water and a side of chicken bites. That was enough and he could use the protein and energy. The girls at the cafeteria called him a survivor, tough, badass. He felt none of those things. Weak, useless, unworthy. They insisted on buying his lunch and gave him the last slice of cheesecake. The last slice for his last day of his life.

He dragged his feet to the tables in the back, away from the noise and the people. His arm throbbed and felt numb, tight. As he passed the giant column he considered hiding against he found it had been occupied by none other than Seifer. He had a Balamb Newspaper in his lap, his legs kicked up as he balanced himself on the tips of the chair legs. Seifer in his astonishing glory, comely and handsome without trying. The arrogant son-of-a-bitch who took everything for granted.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." He sipped his coffee, those cold, heartless, taunting eyes staring. Those eyes he remembered from the time in Balamb, when he stole away the girl who he felt the pull with. The patter. The eyes that taunted and tormented him when they had to be around one another growing up.

 _I hate you. I hate everything about you. It doesn't matter anymore... None of it does._

Zell didn't have the strength to find another place to sit. He found a table not far from Seifer and slumped into the cold metal seat. Suddenly Zell was tired. He pushed the tray to the other end of the table and pressed his sore face into the table, wrapping his arms around his head to block out the light beaming in from the skylight. The medication told him it was time to nap.

It wasn't long before Zell heard the sound of a chair dragging from one table to the other. He wanted to cry. The last thing he needed was Seifer to bully him. He heard the sound of Seifer spinning the chair around and sitting in it backwards. The motion jolted the table and Zell's arms tightened around him.

He heard Seifer pop a crisp grape in his mouth, chewing noisily. "I'm guessing you aren't hungry."

Zell responded with a sigh.

" _Damn!_ This is good. You should try this cantaloupe, _yeah_? It's really juicy." Zell felt the tray bump his arm.

"Go away. Leave me alone." Zell whispered, barely a sound.

"Oh, don't be such a baby. You look like you need a friend. C'mon." Zell felt his good arm get bumped by the back of Seifer's hand. "Eat something, _yeah_? Let me buy you a coffee–" He let out a quick laugh. "Actually, let me just go and _get_ you one. I don't have any money but because I'm–" He swallowed noisily. "Well, _me._ They have to give it to me for free because I'm _technically_ a prisoner. So – heh-heh-HEH! Let's have Squall buy you a coffee, _yeah?!"_

Zell lifted his head, his eyes wet. Had he been crying? He furiously rubbed them, staring at Seifer's smug satisfied grin as he slurped on his coffee, eating Zell's fruit. The sounds coming from him were so obnoxious, why was he choosing that day of all days to bother Zell?

"What is this–What are you doing?"

Seifer shrugged. So casual. Zell hated him so much. He hated how calm and collected he was, how smug and superior he seemed. His hair styled in a conceited, vain way, all effortless but messy on purpose. Drinking his coffee, stealing Zell's food, sitting near him made Zell want to punch a wall. The immodest way he talked about himself like he was some kind of loud, stupid – It dawned on Zell. The way Seifer was sitting, his hand gestures, this laugh...

Zell sat up higher. "You're pretending to be me."

"Nah. Nah, brah I'm just..." He punched his fists together, cracking his neck as he rolled it side to side. "Okay, maybe I am a bit, _yeah?"_ Zell watched as Seifer bobbed his eyebrows, smiling wildly.

"That's not how I act." Zell was not amused. "Stop it."

Zell cringed as Seifer sucked his teeth, mouthing 'ah, no.' He hated that habit when it came from anybody but when this blonde impostor showed up to ruin his life it just made everything so much more grating. Seifer bobbed his head, patting his legs to the music as he sang.

"Why?"

"I haven't seen you in the gym. Have you been using your arm? You should have been two weeks ago." Seifer pointed a finger to it, "I dislocated my arm when I first got Hyperion, remember that? I was 12, and _cocky_." Seifer's eyes and smile widened. "Swung too hard, shoulder came right out of the socket." He rotated his arm, showing Zell as he rambled on. "Sucked, had to do four weeks of physical therapy."

"Why are you talking to me? Why–"

"Instructor Aki had me in the gym doing these stretches. He said that it wouldn't have happened if I had strengthened up first. Hyperion is – was too heavy for a 12 year old." Seifer poked around the strawberries, picking out the cantaloupe and popping them in his mouth. "Course, puberty kind of kicked in and that kind of helped." He laughed again, loud and crisp.

"Seriously, Seifer knock it the fuck off! It's not exactly like I picked up a gunblade and started swinging. I was pulled out of a tree after being tortured for a week. I was literally shot onto a moving train, then I had my arm reset by an assassin with serious impulse control issues and then I had to ride said train – _which_ took the bumpiest route to Winhill by the way, wait a week for YOU to be ready to go home and then I had surgery." Zell's voice cracked as his fist hit the table.

"So?"

Zell's eyes narrowed, he couldn't look Seifer in the eye without wanting to cry. "It hurts to stretch. It hurts to move. It hurts to do anything. Everything hurts."

"You got that tattoo. That hurt, didn't it?" Seifer reached for the fork, stabbing into the cheesecake. "You got it anyway, for whatever reason is beyond me but you got it. You toughened through it, sucked it up and when it was all said and done..."

"Is the point of this to tell me to suck it up?"

Seifer dropped the "Zelifer" persona and leaned forward, "My point is I'm telling you to stop being such a Chicken-Wuss and come back to the world of the living. For fuck's sake, sitting near you it's like I can literally smell depression. It's seeping out of your pores. It not only _offends_ me it's also throwing off the taste of this cheesecake." Seifer took a bite, chewing as he sighed.

Zell buried his face in his hand, "I don't know how."

"I know how." Seifer stood, spinning the chair and pushing it in. "I need someone to keep track of my laps."

"You've got to be joking." Zell watched as Seifer stretched. "You hate me."

"No, not really. I've been spending a lot of time with Selphie. She's _perky_ , it rubs off." Seifer picked up Zell's tray and reached for his arm to lift Zell out of his seat. Zell immediately reacted, swinging his good arm in Seifer's direction and missed. Seifer was too fast for him to hit in this condition.

"Don't fucking touch me." Zell growled, his fist still up in case Seifer tried again. Instead he watched as he sat the tray down and sat next to him. He bunched up his sleeves and crossed his arms on the table.

"Okay... I need you to understand something right now." Seifer waited for Zell to meet his eyes. "There's a place the mind takes you, a void. It's a dark and lonely place that sucks you in and you stop being able to feel." His tone was low, sincere. He turned his wrist out to Zell, pulling the skin tight.

In the light Zell could see the jagged line running down from his wrist and down the inside of his forearm. He could tell it had been there for a while, the skin shined paler than the tone of his skin but still visible if you looked close enough. Zell's lips parted as he looked to Seifer.

"Before you realize it, that void has consumed you and it takes you deeper than you thought you could. The void takes you to places that you would have never thought. Before you realize it, you've filed a piece of metal down to a fine blade and you're watching the blood come out of your wrists." Seifer took Zell's hand and ran his fingers along the skin. He pulled his hand back, shaking as he wondered how Seifer knew.

He watched as Seifer leaned in closer, the smell of coffee and cheesecake on his breath. Seifer licked his lips, staring into Zell's eyes. "Since my release, I can sense things others can't. I can't explain it, but I can sense the void has a grab on you. I can almost see it following you around like a dark cloud."

"How did you get out? How did you get away from it?" Zell's voice was shaky, he was fearful.

Seifer smiled, rubbing his mouth. "You fight it. And if you see someone that's fighting it you step in when they have nothing left. Show them that you don't have to do it alone."

"I..." Zell's lips trembled. He felt naked, exposed. His cheeks felt wet, his eyes felt cloudy.

"Let me help you." Seifer reached for the tray, pulling it back over. He handed Zell the fork and crossed his arms. "Eat. Then we're going for a run, and then we'll go from there."

"Why?" Zell tasted the salt on his lips. Why would Seifer of all people want to help him?

"You look like you need a friend."

Zell remembered tasting the food and feeling like he hadn't eaten anything like it before. Seifer had sat with him for hours, listening to him in silence. It was foreign and even garnered a few strange looks as the cafeteria started to fill up. Seifer sat there, completely unbiased, listening for hours before they left.

That evening Seifer dragged him to the main lobby of Garden and they ran laps. His shoulder ached but he fought through it. He knew Seifer was frustrated at how slow he was, but it was good. It took him a few weeks but he started building speed. They spent hours in the gym, stretching, lifting, and eventually Zell felt right again.

They had become close friends, but Zell was guilty of hiding the fact that Nino was alive. He wasn't ready to tell him and he didn't know how. Squall had dismissed the idea that she even existed, chalked it up to another over-embellished story told by Mr. Know-It-All Zell Dincht. When Zell had mentioned talking about it to Seifer, Squall ordered for him not to. He was bound by his loyalty to Garden and his job as a SeeD. It frustrated him. It made Zell feel like a terrible friend.

He thought of Nino, wondering where she went. It kept him up at night as he searched for anything about her. She was like a ghost, no records of her anywhere. His time with her in the woods made Zell question his honor and loyalty to Garden. He was healed, he was ready to go out and destroy Syndicate and try to help. Instead he was stuck at the front gate, greeting politicians and rich folk who looked like they had never seen a tattooed face before.

"Zell!"

Zell turned his head and smiled. "Sis!" He wrapped his arms around Ellone and shook Laguna's hand. "I'll let Squall know you've finally arrived. Congrats by the way, don't panic, nobody's told him." Zell pointed his eyes to the hidden belly under the shawl.

"Good! I was worried Selphie would have spilled the beans already." Ellone winked.

"I'm surprised he's not here, normally it's the host that greets their guests for the Summit." Kiros noted, smiling. "Then again, Squall isn't a people person. He picked the right people for the job."

"To be fair, he's got a lot on his plate." Ellone kissed Zell on the cheek, patting his tattoo, _for luck_ she would say. "I'm so glad you're home safe. Don't scare us like that again."

Zell nodded in reassurance, patting her belly, _for_ _luck._ He watched as she walked ahead and turned to Kiros and Ward. "I'm being considered for Quistis' position as Executive Assistant. I've got an interview with Squall on Monday."

"..." Ward nodded with a silent laugh, amused.

Kiros smiled. "Ward is right, that sounds so official, so like Squall to have you do an interview. You shouldn't worry."

"Executive Assistant? With a badass tattoo like that, I would have guessed warrior or fighter or some kind of super cool SeeD Operative of some sort!"

Zell felt his insides twist. He looked between Kiros and Ward, cocking an eyebrow. He watched as Kiros stepped aside, giving proper room for introduction.

"Zell this is Olivar Victarion, Ellone's husband."

Zell stared at the man, his smile completely vanishing as something stirred behind his mind that he couldn't piece together. He held out his hand, "Nice to meet you..."

The tall raven-haired man adjusted his glasses, taking Zell's hands into his, shaking them firm. "So I have to ask, did it hurt?"

 _Victarion... where do I know that name?_

"Huh?" Zell forgot himself for a moment, it was like something was blocking him from being able to think straight.

"The tattoo... I like it." Olivar smiled, his gaze seemed to trap Zell in a tunnel. He couldn't see anything else.

"Y-yeah...yeah it hurt a lot."

"Well, I would love to stay and talk more about it but I have to go find my wife. We'll talk soon, won't we?"

"Yeah." Zell couldn't think, couldn't move. Couldn't understand why he was suddenly unable to do anything but agree. The further Olivar got from Zell the more clear headed he felt. He blinked, rubbing his eyes as Kiros watched him carefully. Zell smiled again, ushering Laguna's detail inside.

"Olivar brought his father and assistant along as well, will you let us know when they arrive?"

"Sure, yeah..." Zell felt like he needed to hide, he could feel the panic creeping in his throat and he couldn't figure out why. "I'll let you know, definitely. Absolutely."

Kiros and Ward walked along. Zell excused himself, finding a quiet secluded spot and pulled out his phone.

 _Need you now. Front gate._

Zell pressed the back of his head to the column he leaned against. He felt like he needed to vomit, like the black void was stifling him. He could feel the sensation of the water in his lungs.

 _Tied up. Kind of literally. Meet later?_

"Godamnit Seifer..." Zell crouched down, holding his head in his hands. Why was he feeling like this? What was it about Olivar that made him feel sick? He pushed out the thoughts, he practiced his breathing and stood. His arm throbbed but he was going to fight through it. He responded to Seifer's text, maybe they could go for a run in the Quad later.

As he turned he watched as Nino walked along an older man who Zell thought was Seifer if he had aged another thirty years. She wore glasses, her hair pulled back, executive clothes as her vacant eyes lay directly in his. Syndicate was in Garden.

–

Zell tried to tell Seifer. If he had been there it would have been different. He could have seen the vacant gaze that Nino held in her eyes. Something terrible was going to happen and he needed to act fast.

He had ran back to his living quarters to collect his gloves. They were at the ready in his back pocket should Seifer find out and get violent. The plan was to report it to Squall as he should have hours earlier. He would have if he didn't need time to think. He wasn't a mindless drone that Squall expected him to be. He cared for Nino too, even if she could potentially kill them all. This was too much for him to handle on his own. Squall would have to understand why he took so long.

His loyalty would always lie with Squall and Garden. He fought alongside him with Ultimecia and he hoped that would be enough for him to listen to him for once. His loyalty was proven, so it made sense to Zell that Squall would understand why he wanted to protect Nino.

Zell turned the corner, phone in hand as he drafted a message to Squall:

" _Syndicate has infiltrated. Need to meet ASAP"_ He hesitated to send the message, not wanting to cause a scene. He looked up just as Irvine was calling to him.

"Zell! Buddy, Seifer's had a bit too much to drink, can you help out?"

"Yeah." He locked his phone without sending the message, looking up just in time to see Seifer shoulder into Nino. He watched as the color washed out of Seifer's skin, watched as Nino stumbled back, body trembling.

Irvine had Seifer, Zell did the only other thing he could.

"Nino!" Zell had pulled her out onto the balcony. She wasn't responding to him, she wasn't moving or breathing. He held her hands, squeezing, putting them to her face, trying to get her to just look at him. It was like she was frozen, in a trance. "Nino, are you in there? Please look at me..."

 _React... react to something._

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Zell shook her, she hadn't drawn in a breath yet. She stood frozen, staring at Zell's throat. "Nino, you need to breathe! Breathe!"

"Seifer's... alive...?" Tears streamed down her face as she drew in a long gasp, letting out a sob. Zell let out a sigh of relief, feeling her hands squeeze him back.

"He's alive?" Her voice faded. "He's alive..."

Zell smiled, nodding. "Yeah... he's alive."

She locked eyes on Zell, sucking in a shuddering breath. "He's ALIVE!?" Zell watched her tearful expression slowly change. Her nostrils flared and her eyes closed into slits as her fists balled up, slamming into his chest. "HE'S ALIVE?!" She repeated herself, screaming as he held her to his chest in a heap of sobs. He had to control the situation before it got out of hand. Zell held her tight, rubbing her back as he tried to calm her.

"I'm sorry..." Zell turned to the doors that swung open. Seifer. Irvine and Tomé stumbled out shortly after. Nino broke away, shoving Zell against the rail of the balcony and slapping him across the face. She turned to Seifer, hands to her mouth.

"Ninnoka...?" Seifer moved closer to her, a bandaged hand shaking as it reached out to her, his eyes on Nino. Zell heard him say her name again before she sank her face into his chest. He watched as Seifer locked his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. It was like they would wake up from a dream if they broke away.

Zell smiled, watching as they finally did, it was like could read their every want, their every touch. Seifer pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as she touched his hair, ears, neck, cheek, chest.

As Zell dusted the back of his suit, he looked over to Tomé and Irvine, watching with awe as an old love rekindled right in front of them. Zell looked back to Seifer, his fury prevalent in the glare aimed right at him. "You knew? All this time you knew she was alive?!"

Zell opened his mouth to explain. Instead he heard a boom, like thunder cracked inside of his skull. His ears rang as he fell to the marble. It was a definite orbital fracture. He was likely permanently blinded. Zell wanted to open his eyes to see for sure but the impact of the single blow knocked him out cold.


	19. The Living Gods

Time stopped completely.

 _She's here...she's real and she's here... magnolia's. Honeysuckle... she's so beautiful..._

Seifer smiled, a real smile, a smile of relief. He fought everything in him to not cry. His fingers touched her face, her soft skin, her nose, her supple lips. He wanted to kiss them so badly that it hurt. Seifer bit his lip to fight the stinging, staring into her eyes. Inside of them it was like tiny little stars sparkled, little flits of light.

"Nino..." He pressed his forehead to hers, hardly able to contain the overabundance of... rage. Burning, sizzling, searing, unbearable rage...

 _Z͟҉e̡l͟l҉.͢_

Seifer pressed his lips together, fighting the scream he wanted to so desperately let out. He looked into Nino's green eyes one last time before turning his attention to Zell. He felt Nino's hands squeeze his arms but it didn't matter. He was seeing red.

"You knew? All this time you knew she was alive?!"

He stormed towards the smaller blonde, flicking his hand before rearing it back and plowing it into Zell's left eye. He watched as Zell fell backward, instantly unconscious. He looked to the blood on his hand as it shook, not finished yet. Seifer dropped, sitting on top of Zell as he lifted him up by the collar, another blow, another. He remembered the times he had where Zell had the perfect opportunity and never took it. He could have said something from the start and didn't.

Arms pulled him back. Six of them. Seifer felt his body slide away as he stood. He cracked his neck, watching as Nino dropped to Zell. He trembled with rage, unable to hear Irvine and Tomé as they kept him at bay. He dropped his fists, disarmed as he watched Nino lay her hands on his new enemy – the next person on his list to destroy. Irvine and Tomé watched it as well, their struggles waning.

 _Nino... what are you doing?_

Nino's hands rested across Zell's face as she whispered to herself. She put her forehead to his, the red glow from her hands was subtle, but it was visible.

"Holy shit." Irvine dropped his jaw.

Zell groaned, turning his head into the light. He opened his eyes, looking up at Nino, confused. Nino winced, her pained expression only made Seifer want to hurt Zell all over again. Seifer rushed to her side, helping her up, examining her carefully as Tomé and Irvine went to Zell.

"What was that?" Seifer whispered, his fingers brushing over her cheeks.

Nino sighed, "Syndicate calls us Empyral. They are harnessing guardian force energies and infusing them with our DNA."

"You were fused with a Healing Guardian Force?" Seifer already knew the answer. Seifer pulled her in close.

 _I'm an Empyral. A living Guardian._

Seifer didn't know what to think. He sat there holding Nino in his arms, blinking as he stared into nothingness. Everything made sense, all of the pieces clicking together.

"Okay... so like, can we maybe talk about the fact that Zell should be in a coma right now?"

Seifer and Nino turned to see Irvine, weapon drawn.

 _(̕͞L̛͝ęt̶͏̕ ̨̛h̛͘im͞ k̴̕͞i͟l͢l̕͡ ̸h͝er͘, ̶͏c̸͜le҉a̷n͢͜͝s͢e͘͝ ̸h͟er̛.͡..̕)͘͠ ́͞_

Seifer snarled when he stepped in front of Nino, his hands flexing, ready to fight. "You will not touch her."

"Seifer, I'd like to inform you of the situation you are putting me in right now." He cocked his revolver, aiming it just a hair past Seifer's neck. "Thanks to the new tech from Esthar that I'm legally not at liberty to discuss due to contractual obligations, what I have in here is something that makes Pulse Ammo look like foam BB's. So, if you would _kindly_ step aside, I can keep my aim trained on your fine, sweet young thing who can apparently shoot healing magic from her pretty little hands."

Seifer was the wall between Nino and Irvine. He pushed his shoulders back, his jaw clenched. "No."

Irvine dropped his aim, his voice almost carried a whine. "Seifer, come on, don't do this to me now."

"Nino... she's... good..." Zell groaned, his hand to his face. "Why does it hurt?"

"It takes a while for your nerves to heal. Trust me, I feel it too. It'll pass." Nino put her hands on Seifer's shoulders, stepping to the side. She held her hands up, nodding to Irvine. "It's okay. It's not the worst thing to have a gun on me."

Seifer kept between them, he wasn't going to let Irvine take her away from him.

"But, this is the hardest thing I'm going to have to do... I need to leave."

 _No. I forbid it._

"No, Nino." Seifer turned his back to face her. His hands wrapped around her shoulders. "You aren't safe."

"She can hit better than you asshole." Zell stood, still holding his face.

"I'm not here to harm anyone. I came to stop this. Syndicate is here and those 'assistants' you saw walking inside Garden, Zell? They are Empyrals. They are all that survived in the Syndicate. There's only about twenty-eight of us now but they're growing in numbers. They are here to take out the Unified Council and your High Commander." Nino shrugged out of Seifer's grasp. "They won't tell me when they'll attack so I need to be there to stop it when it does."

Irvine brushed past Seifer, gun still on her. "Woah, hey, ho! You can't leave! I'm not authorizing that."

 _Something else is wrong._

"Nino? What aren't you telling me?" Seifer could hear her heart beat faster, she was breathing quicker. Fear.

"Seifer...we'll talk soon. Just please be careful. All of you."

 _NO!_

Seifer ran out after her. The dinner had broken out and people were crowding by the elevators. Nino was nowhere to be found. Lost. Again. "Damn it!" He cursed under his breath, fists flexing and clenching tight as he walked back to the balcony. Once the doors were shut he locked them and spun around. He held his hands to his hair as he paced, trying to think.

"Okay, what the hell is going on. Does anyone know?" Irvine holstered his gun, turning to Zell. "Who is she?"

"That was Nino Mireille. She's the daughter of the former Syndicate leader. She's... alive."

"Yeah, we all saw that." Tomé flickered a light in Zell's eyes.

"She's an assassin – she's THE assassin I've been telling you about. The one that was set to kill Selphie."

"Yeah, no, Nino doesn't know how to shoot a gun. She'd be ineffective in a fight." Seifer swatted his words away, trying to shake off the difference he saw in Nino.

"Seifer." Zell groaned, still light headed. "She spent five years in _training._ The time that she entered was the time that she was taken from you. It makes sense. She's been mentally conditioned, reprogrammed to fight in Syndicate."

"Zell, stop talking or I'm going to finish what I started..." Seifer flexed his arms, ready to kill.

Zell talked over him, his stance mirroring Seifer's."LISTEN TO ME. She's a programmed, conditioned, merciless killer. I've seen it with my own two eyes and it's terrifying. She has no emotion, no remorse. That's it."

Seifer scoffed, "Nino can't kill a spider without crying, how do you expect her to kill–"

"She kills because she is told to kill. She's conditioned to follow the orders of those of superior ranking. I'm telling you that the Nino _you_ knew is gone."

"GOD! Shut UP, ZELL!" Seifer turned to charge at Zell, stopped by Irvine's revolver.

"Maybe we should listen to Zell, maybe figure a few things out before we get carried away?"

"I'm done talking. I can't think straight right now." Seifer pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"What exactly was that?" Tomé's tone was fearful. "She's junctioned?"

"No, she said the word _infused._ Is that how they did it? Like with Seifer's blood?"

"If it's infused in his DNA it'll never go away. Seifer's like this forever."

Seifer unwrapped his damaged hand. It was clean, the wounds had been sealed much faster than the scratches in his back. Could he control his healing?

 _(̸̵T̢ḩ͝e̡̛ ҉̧̕fą̡l͟sè͡ ͜o͜n͢e͞ ̨́͢s̵͞p̧͜e͞҉a͘͢k̀͢ş̵ ̶́͞t̴r̀ut̕̕h̕͘.̴̡ ̵͝͝Ẁe̵ ̧a̶r͏e̶̸ c̶on̡n͝e̸͠ć͞͠t̵ed̶ ҉e͏͏̵tè͡r̷̷ń͞a̛͏ĺ͘͟ļy.̷̕͝ ̛Y͢ǫ͡u̷ ̡be̕҉ar͠ ̴͟my̵͢ m̛͢ar҉k̀,҉͘ ͢f̢͜o̴͡r҉̀ęve͜r.͠)͜_

 _They harnessed the energies of the Guardian Force._

 _(҉̷͜Y͏͟o̴u͘͝ ͡h҉̕a͜͞v͟e̢͡͡ s̛q̕͠ua͏͡nd̵̶̢e̵r̷e̢͝d́ ͟͞y̧o͜u͏̢r͘̕ ̀͢͜g̡͢i̸̷̛f̢t̶̢s͏̀, ̶̷y͢͜͏oú̸r͏̀͡ ̀͠p̡͘͠l̴̢e͢a͟su̢r̷̷̨e͜͝s̀ ̢̕on̸͝͝ ͏̧m̴̕e̡a҉̢n̴͘͜i͢n̢gl̵̀e̸şs̷̶ ̧d͏é̷̡s̴̕i̛͏r̶͏e͘͢s.͝) ͜_

 _So that means that it's permanent?_

 _(Y҉͞où̵ ̢b͟e͘͟ar͏͏ ҉th̀́è már҉k ̵̴o̶f͜҉ ̶̢a̢̨ ͡g̕͜o͟͏́d̛͠͝.͡͝)͞ ͡_

Seifer rubbed his fingers together, watching the black matter manifest. It curled and whipped like tentacles around his fingers. It was so easy to do now.

 _Fused into my DNA... my blood._

Seifer watched with piqued curiosity as the tendrils lifted, forming into tiny shards. He reached out to pick one out of the cluster. Its sharp edges punctured his skin, tiny droplets of blood started to form. He went back to his hand, watching them change to the shapes he wanted. A sphere, a diamond, a tiny link of chains, arrows, bullets. He watched as they formed back into the tiny needles once again and took off into the trees below them.

 _A living god._

"Well at least the Syndicate is now dwindled down to how many did she say? Twenty-seven?"

"Eight." Seifer turned. "Twenty-Eight Empyrals."

They stood for a moment, Zell being the first one to put it all together. "Oh man. You aren't thinking of joining them are you?!"

 _You couldn't stop me if I did._

Seifer smirked, turning completely around with his tendrils that encompassed his hand.

Tomé, Irvine and Zell all stood in amazement, watching as he shifted them. He formed more, creating a chain that shot toward Irvine, wrapping around his wrist until he dropped his gun. Seifer caught it with a tendril from his other hand. He smiled, handing it back to Irvine.

"You can control it?"

Seifer drew the black matter back in, watching as they seeped into his palms, vanishing. "That's not all though..."

He stepped forward, grabbing Tomé by the shoulders. She was frightened until Seifer caught caught her in his gaze. Zell and Irvine watched as Tomé's face completely relaxed, her body almost like putty.

"Woah, I've seen that before..." Zell murmured, a shiver running down his neck.

"Tomé." Seifer squinted his eyes, as he moved, Tomé followed. Seifer walked backwards, Tomé following. He lifted his right arm and Tomé mirrored. He smiled, she smiled back. "Tomé." Seifer licked his lips as he used a coaxing voice. She smiled wider, nodding. "Will you go and kiss Irvine? On the nose. Gently."

Irvine froze, watching as Tomé smiled, wrapping her body around his, her hands on his chest as she stood tall to kiss the tip of his nose. She returned to Seifer, who had moved across the balcony.

He dropped his gaze, looking to Zell and Irvine. Tomé drew in a breath folding her arms. "It's that easy for you?"

"Does it work on men too?"

Seifer turned to Zell, narrowing his eyes as he turned his head. Zell immediately relaxed. "Slap yourself. Hard."

Zell reeled back, feeling the sting from his hand. "OW! Fucking asshole."

Seifer chuckled as he walked away. His smile faded as he stopped, his hands going to his pockets. "If I can do these things, so can they. Right now I'm just playing around but the day in the Training Center? I was in full control over my actions, well, mostly. But the Syndicate may already be using this kind of influence on people we know, we need to act fast."

"I bet that Olivar guy is an Empy-something." Zell's voice was excited. "He did that weird 'undress me with your eyes' stare earlier."

"Sis." Irvine put a hand to his head. "We need to tell Squall."

"No. He's on the verge of a breakdown, we could stop this right?" Tomé held a tone of self-assurance in her voice.

Someone on the other side of the door knocked, trying to open the locks. Seifer turned, assuming the role as leader. It felt good to be in control again. "We break for tonight, everything is casual and we don't know Nino. We act and act fast, but we'll come up with a plan tomorrow.

As they walked out, Seifer stumbled out backwards, giggling. "No, Tomé, _you_ go home. _You're_ drunk..." He spun around, his arms loose at his side as he 'drunkenly' staggered. If he was going to make an ass out of himself, he was going to enjoy it.

He watched as Selphie and Matron stopped, amused. "Looks like you've had a bit to drink."

Seifer smiled, grabbing Selphie and hooking his arm around her neck. "Aw Selphie, you're so cute...you're like a cute little chocobo." He booped her nose, looking to Matron.

"It's nice to see you've loosened up. Are you still in control?" Edea giggled, watching Seifer stand at attention.

"Perfectly, I'm just really relaxed." He grabbed her hand, kissing it. "We'll see each other tomorrow, Matron." He winked, turning to the elevators.

"Think he's going a bit far with this?" Seifer heard Zell mutter from across the room to Irvine.

"Just go with it. Everyone's buying it. Shit, it's Olivar."

"Oh my, it seems you've had a bit to drink! Do you need an escort?" Olivar grabbed Seifer's shoulder. Seifer almost too perfectly slipped out of it, he feigned a stagger, pointing at Olivar.

Hi͏s͘͡ m̴̕͢á́rk̸̶.̡́͘.̸. ̶҉V͞i͜ct̴́a̷r̀͟i̵̸o͡n͟͏͟.̧.͏.̴҉C̕҉̨e͏̀nt͟ŗ͏a̛n͡͞͝.͞..̨͠ ҉̷

"Victarion... that's Centran isn't it?"

"Indeed it is!" Olivar smiled, he crossed his arms. "Are you familiar with Old Centran archaeology and history?"

"I know a bit." Seifer blinked, wondering if he was taking it a bit far.

Olivar turned to Ellone and back to Seifer. "Much like the last name Almasy. It's from the Alnajii clans of the first civilizations of Esthar. Interesting stuff, names." He patted Seifer on the back as he reached for Ellone's hand.

Seifer 'sobered.' He had heard of those clans before. His thumbs slipped into his pockets as he strolled to the elevators, feeling Squall rush up behind him. He carried a sleeping Alisa in his arm.

"I leave you alone for an hour and you're already drunk? In front of my father and the rest of the Unified Council?" Squall smiled at guests, speaking through closed teeth.

Seifer smirked, "I was going to ask you if you wanted to dance, but I thought that would be too much for the first night. We really should let them know how Balamb parties."

"Yeah, except you forget that I spent many sleepless nights listening to your drunken rampages when we were Cadets." Squall shook a hand, his smile never waning.

Seifer casually slipped his hands in his pockets. "That was a different time, a different age." He looked to Squall, walking backwards to the stairs. "I'm enjoying myself, stop policing everyone and do the same."

"Enjoyment? Never heard of it. I've seen that face before, Seifer. You've been scheming or plotting some sort of plan–"

Seifer caught the press waving the High Commander over. He held out his arms. "I'll take her to your room."

Squall hesitated. "No, I've got her. You're drunk, remember?"

"I'm stone-cold sober, just having a bit of fun. I'll even sit in the living room until you get back." He stood with his arms out, his best sincere smile worn across his lips. "Oh, C'mon, Commander – your adoring fans await you."

It took a little bit of convincing but Squall eventually noticed the journalists' impatience and caved. He kissed her forehead and transferred Alisa over to Seifer, his hands hovering as Seifer positioned her so her head was on his shoulder. She reached up, gripping his loose collar. Squall clipped the master key to her dress as Seifer grinned wildly.

"Besides, it shows Garden Express Reform system works great for scheming _psychopaths._ "

"You couldn't have said that before I entrusted you with my daughter?" Squall's arms went up, walking back to the press.

Seifer turned, heading down the stairs. Alisa was as light as a shell. He smiled, breathing in the scent of flowers and crayons. Irvine and Tomé waited for him at the foot of the stairs and walked alongside Seifer.

They walked in silence to the dorms, Seifer occasionally brushing his hand down Alisa's dark hair. He caught himself doing it when they passed the elevators. As he walked he kept his head low. He didn't want to gather any attention until they made it to Squall's room.

"I'm staying with Alisa, if I'm caught upstairs they're going to think something is up. They won't question it if Irvine is doing something." Seifer slipped the key to the cowboy who swiftly pocketed it.

"When am I ever not doing something that people question?"

"I'll go as backup. Just in case." Tomé shot a sideways glance. "If people see us together they really don't ask questions."

"You foxy minx." Seifer winked. Pushing the door in with his back. Once closed, he laid Alisa to bed. He pulled off her little glittery buckle shoes, sitting them in her shoe rack. Seifer reached for the moomba when she reached for his jacket, giving her something to hold before covering her with blankets. Squall could change her into her nightclothes when he got back.

Seifer stepped outside of her room quietly, removing and smoothly folding the dinner jacket over the arm of the couch. Seifer's feet carried him to the middle of the unit as he breathed in. He closed his eyes, trying to see what he could sense. He walked in Squall's bedroom, lifting a shirt he wore that day. He breathed in the collar, Grapefruit, Violet, Spearmint, Vetiver. He didn't know how he knew these things, they just appeared in his mind.

He walked around, taking in things that picked up in his senses.

 _Blade oil, pinecones and leather, Quistis and cigarette smoke. Beer, stale. Papers and ink, lavender, honey, those little sugar cakes Alisa likes..._

Seifer exhaled, breathing in again. He rolled up his sleeves, as he knelt down to underneath the bed. Gunblade case, Shoes. He stood, looking over at the cluttered desk. He breathed in again.

 _Gun oil._

There it was, the scent he was looking for. He lifted a stack of papers, pulling out a file. He opened it, finding his old school photograph. The scar had not yet been put between his eyes. His fingers gently touched the image as he frowned. They stayed on his face until he saw the page behind it. His eyes searched as they found the statement of his arrest five years ago.

 _Deling City, December 31st_

 _Name. Almasy, Seifer Colin_

 _Action Taken: Active Arrest - Released to Deling City Criminal Dept._

 _Original Arrest: SeeD ( )_

 _SeeD Operative Responsible: Irvine Kinneas._

 _Almasy sustained superficial injuries due to fall. Fall caused by gunshot from long range by G-GDN OP. KINNEAS, IRVINE L._

 _*Note: OP. Kinneas to be given promotion to Lieutenant Commander upon return to Authorized by General Fury Caraway._

Seifer blinked, reading the report once over, feeling the dread wash over him. He looked at the name again. He remembered the searing pain from the shot. It had been long forgotten until those words appeared in his mind.

 _Irvine was promoted for shooting me. Caraway authorized it._

A newspaper clipping, dated after the arrest.

" _Caraway stated that Almasy was fueled by jealousy and obsession with commanding the entire Galbadian Military Force. It was speculated that Almasy had attempted to kill Caraway in hopes to regain his control. As a reward for great success in taking down Galbadia's #1 Public Enemy, Irvine Kinneas has been promoted as Lieutenant Commander effective immediately."_

His fingertips slid it across the folder, his entire life was in this file. Balamb Credential Records, Certifications, Honors Awards, Drivers License, Complete SeeD Exam...

Seifer lifted the certificate, his eyes widened as he skimmed over the list.

 _Final List of SeeD Graduates:_

 _Nida Kuroska_

 _Selphie Tilmitt_

 _Zell Dincht_

 _Squall Leonhart_

 _Seifer Almasy_

 _*Seifer does_ _not_ _graduate this year. – Xu Cadda_

Failed Exam Reports, Completed Written Exams, Medical Records, Birth...

 _Birth Records._

Seifer leaned down, looking at the certificate of his birth for the first time in his life.

 _Name: Seifer Colin Almasy_

 _Sex: Male_

 _Date of Birth: Jan 21st_

 _Country of origin: Alnaj Region, Centra_

 _Name of Mother: Elia Victarion_

 _Name of Father: Artos Almasy_

" _Mommy loves you... mommy loves you so much, Seifer."_

The blood drop that fell from his nose startled him. He stood upright, rushing to the bathroom, grabbing a the first washcloth he found and held it to his face. Seifer winced, feeling a sharp stabbing pain in his head. Something was sifting, filing, clawing.

"Fuck!" The pain was getting worse. He blindly walked back into Squall's room, feeling for the desk. He cleaned the blood as best as possible, knowing that once Squall sees it the secret would be out that he had been snooping. He sat the rag down, quickly putting the files back as they were and returned to the living room. He slumped in the couch, Alisa was still sleeping.

"Nngh..." He tilted his head back. The blood wasn't stopping. His head was throbbing. Seifer kicked his legs up, curling into a ball. When he closed his eyes the memory played, like a video on his eyelids.

His mother, he had her nose and smile. Her hair was strawberry blonde, she smelled like warmth and sunlight. She smelled like the mountains where they lived. He smelled the snow, the warmth of a fire. Seifer watched as she knelt down by the wood table, reaching out to him with a big smile. Her name was Elia.

He shook his head, back in the dorm room. The blood had seemed to stop. Seifer leaned forward, inspecting the rag. The color was dark, almost black. His new usual. Seifer sniffled, standing just as Squall walked inside. He stuffed the washcloth into his pocket.

 _You've been keeping secrets..._

Seifer watched Squall as he pulled off his jacket, walking to his bedroom. He came out without a tie, loosening his shirt. "I'm tired."

"Yeah. Me too." Seifer was too wide awake to pretend to be tired. He watched Squall grab two beers from his fridge, slipping out of his shirt and into a black tank top. He sat across from Seifer at the table, rubbing his forehead.

"I need to tell you something but you can't react to it." Squall tossed Seifer a beer, looking down at his own. "I was given Xu's old records, and I found her materials from when she was appointed to assess our Field Exams. You scored higher than any of us."

Seifer leaned to the table, his beer unopened as Squall continued. He watched Squall reach in his pocket, handing Seifer a folded card, noting the silver and black emblem across the front.

"Even with the deductions from you disobeying orders, you still outscored us. You had the bonuses to carry you to graduation for gathering the knowledge about the Communication Tower." Seifer's eyes stared at the numbers, frown creasing his brow calmed when he looked to Squall. He read it again:

 _Conduct - 100 Pt._

 _Judgment 80 Pt._

 _Attack 100 Pt._

 _Spirit 100 Pt._

 _Point(s) Deducted 100 Pt._

 _Bonus 100 Pt._

 _Seifer Almasy has been granted SeeD Status, Rank 10_


	20. Legacies

Nino stepped out of the elevator, following the back of Torrin's neck. She was calm, focused, collected. She adjusted her glasses, focusing on not slipping and falling in her heels. The doors opened and she was in the large office known as High Commander Squall Leonhart's domain. She looked around the room, noting it's distinguishable features. Balamb was a beautiful sight to see.

"Ah, Olivar, please come in." Squall walked from around the desk and extended his hand.

"Squall! I certainly hope we haven't interrupted anything."

"No, I just needed to send off a few reports to my Operatives in Monterosa. Quistis can manage the rest but I'm sorry, I only have a few minutes before..."

"Squall." Torrin removed his glasses, drawing Squall's attention to him.

Nino watched as Squall's eyes rest, his body fell into the half-conscious state between sleeping and walking.

Torrin smiled, "You seem very tired."

"I am. Very tired." Squall's voice fell into a dull, drowsy tone.

Nino observed as Torrin rested his palms on Squall's shoulders, amused. "You have fallen asleep. I will speak to you, but when you wake you won't remember us speaking like this."

"Ok."

"Have you learned anything new about Syndicate since we last spoke?"

"Operatives are watching over a possible Syndicate hideout. I dispatched them this morning to Monterosa. There was a note on my desk this morning. Irvine. Assassins in Garden, Seifer can be trusted. I put in an order for more security for tonight."

"You will contact your Operatives in Monterosa. Have them wait in Yaulny, there's a little pub that sits beside the waterfalls. Have them wait there because you have new information. Have them go on standby. And as for the Operatives you've brought in for tonight's events, send them home."

 _That's when they'll strike. Tonight at the Ball._

"Why?"

"Because you don't think it's necessary for them to be there. Send them back to their rooms, let them know that Balamb is safe."

Torrin continued to stare into Squall's eyes, occasionally shifting his weight, keeping Squall there with him.

"Where is the note, Squall?"

"It's in my pocket, right side."

"Nino." Torrin gesturing to Squall's pockets. She approached with caution, reaching in and pulling out the slip of paper. She opened and presented it to Torrin, taking it out of her hand.

"What does he mean that Seifer could be trusted?" Torrin dismissed Nino, pocketing the note.

"I've had them follow Seifer, all of my Operatives. They report if Seifer says or does anything unusual. I needed to know for certain. I can't be there to watch him myself."

"Do you trust Seifer?"

"He's arrogant, thinks he's above everyone else but yes, I'm starting to."

"You are aware of his abilities, yes? What do you know about them?"

"Yes. He is stronger, faster. He can heal himself. He slayed two Ruby Dragons. He summoned a form of black energy. I watched it slice the dragons apart like paper."

"Can he do anything else?"

"He hasn't done it since so I don't know."

"Where is he right now?"

"He's...somewhere. I don't know. He seems to do whatever he wants. I seem to let him because what other choice do I have?" Squall said it all in one breath.

"Where did you see him last?"

"In my room. He watched my daughter for me. Last night. He left. Back to his room."

"Where is his room?"

"Four doors from mine. 1123."

"Curious... why don't you live in the Headmaster's Quarters?"

"I need to be near people."

"You're insecure."

"I can't trust myself."

"Why?"

"The nightmares... of Ultimecia. She comes for me and tries to destroy everything I fought for. My daughter isn't safe around me when I sleep. I woke up choking her in my sleep."

Torrin chuckled, soon ebbing into a more serious tone. "Hm. Squall... I want you to put your hands around my neck, the same way you did your daughter. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes..."

"Good boy... when I let you go, you're going to be asleep. You will be having a nightmare." Nino watched as Torrin knelt beneath Squall, slipping his glasses back on, smiling. The moment that he blinked Squall began to thrash. He launched into Torrin, his hands to his neck.

"SQUALL!" Torrin choked out, pretending to struggle. Nino knew he was stronger than that. She watched as Torrin looked to her to push Squall off of him and instead, Nino stood and waited.

 _Maybe you'll choke out..._

Torrin pushed Squall off of him, watching as he awoke on the floor. He turned to Nino, staring at her with fire in his eyes.

"Wh...what just happened?!" Squall looked around, absolutely terrified. He blinked, pressing a hand to his chest. "Oh Olivar. I'm so sorry...I swear we were just –"

"It's fine! I'm alright!" Torrin's voice was different, his demeanor of that of an educated man rather than a brute. "If I had known that you would find an invitation to tea so terrible I would have suggested something else." He gasped, tugging at his collar as he smiled, awkward.

Nino rolled her eyes and looked to Squall. He pulled himself up, carefully helping Torrin stand. The way he held his hands on Torrin showed that he was genuinely concerned for the both of them. She heard him apologize again, almost wanting to cry. He stepped back, folding his arms, looking like a child.

"I don't understand. I was just talking to you..." Squall pressed a hand to his forehead, his eyes searching the floor.

"Maybe you should take the afternoon off... get some rest." Torrin suggested, putting a hand to Squall's arm. They watched as he gave an absent nod.

"Yeah... yeah I think I need to go see the doctor. That's never happened before."

"We'll meet you there for Ellone's appointment, just... take it easy, brother." Torrin smiled, looking to Nino as they left. Nino kept her eyes on Squall as long as she could, watching him on the verge of a breakdown. He pulled off his tie, trying to breathe.

 _I am so sorry._

They walked outside, Nino stood behind, keeping her gaze to the back of Torrin's neck.

"How long have you known that Seifer was alive?" Torrin spoke more and more like a jealous child the longer they spent in Garden. "Eva?"

 _Eva. My cover name. My mother's name. The only connection I have left._

"Since the dinner. He ran into me when I walked out of the bathroom."

"Well?"

"I feel nothing. Everything – my life – is for Syndicate."

She watched as Torrin pressed the call button, turning to her. "Does he know you're alive?"

"Yes." Nino blinked. "I told him that I left him for Syndicate. The baby was stillborn. I hated him for it so I went home." Her tone carried the same joyless voice she held for the last five years.

"Hm. Curious. You know I have had the hardest time trusting you, sweetling." He brushed her cheek, stepping into the elevator. "Wouldn't it be a shame to know you are still lying to me after all this time..."

"Seeing Seifer made me realize that we have always been two different people. He's a Target, Torrin. He's not a problem." Nino folded her arms behind her, eyes forward.

 _He's the solution._

"What is this? You have always fought me." Nino felt his palm slam her into the elevator, his body pressed her into the wall. She didn't move or flinch. "Why?"

"What was left of my past died with Endrik and I see things with eyes that have been opened to me for the first time in my life." Nino's tone, as dull and emotionless as Squall's had been. "As your father said, I have been reborn. I am your Support."

 _She still didn't understand what it meant but it seemed to work on calming him down._

"Yes you are, that's right you are..." Torrin chuckled, kissing her mouth deeply. "It's so hard not to ravage you right here. Don't forget that I owe you for that tiny little outburst in my playroom." He turned his neck, showing the healed pink little scar. They felt the door stop and he nipped her chin. "Maybe I'll visit you tonight before the ball."

"Your father –"

"Yes, my father..." Torrin let out a laugh, gripping her arm tight as he tugged her out of the elevator. "Let's go visit him. Now."

He pulled her to the quarters, wearing his Olivar face. As they walked Nino caught a glimpse of Irvine. Their eyes met, his full of caution, hers full of resentment for the man who had her.

Torrin didn't seem to notice Irvine. He was focused on Zell who stood across from him, arms folded. "Does he know what he has in store for him?"

"Only if you've revealed it to him." Nino cocked an eyebrow to Zell and her eyes shot quickly to Torrin. She hoped he understood what she said.

Zell immediately scratched his tattoo and his fingers found the pink scar on his face. He put two and two together, instantly stricken with illness. He doubled down, trying to avoid drawing attention to himself as he turned his back to them.

"I can't wait for him to join my playroom. Father says I can keep him as long as I am able. I plan to etch that tattoo right out of his face." Torrin turned to Nino. "You get to hold him down when I do it."

"If it pleases the Syndicate."

"Of course it pleases the Syndicate, you idiot." Torrin hissed, nails digging into her arm.

They walked in longer strides, finally reaching their unit. Nino unlocked the door and Torrin didn't hesitate pushing her in. The door slammed and her body was pulled forward, ramming into the corner of the table as he held her body against his. She winced, feeling his hands scratch into her arms and chest.

"Stop." She wanted to scream but her voice came out calm. Nino knew exactly what would happen if she disobeyed.

"No. I need you now... you are _mine,_ Nino. MINE. MY Support."

Nino closed her eyes, feeling her shirt rip from behind. He gripped her hair, jerking her head back as Nino fought the tears. Her eyes opened and the apparition in black startled her, causing her to shudder. Her world froze when Torrin saw it as well.

 _No! What are you doing here?!_

"Oh..." Torrin's face washed away any sense of pleasure and wicked glee as he watched the man clear his throat and lean against the bedroom doorway. "Seifer..."

Nino watched as Seifer pushed his sleeves above his forearms, approaching Torrin. He kept his eyes trained on his older brother, taking Nino by the arm and pulling her away. He brought her with him to the loveseat in the middle of the room, stretching his arms across the back. Nino sat down beside him, a chill running down her spine as he smelled his cologne, the warmth coming off his skin.

Torrin wore his Olivar face. "I can explain this, Seifer. Eva is... she's my..."

Artos appeared out of the same room Seifer had came from, carrying with him an old, frayed book. Nino had never seen anything like it before. "Torrin, be silent." He turned to Seifer and Nino, passing the book over to his youngest son. "This is the complete history of our family."

"He knows?" Torrin stood, quickly sitting when Artos turned to him. "How?!"

"Seifer figured it out on his own, your brother is a very intelligent young man..." Artos displayed a pleased smile, crossing a leg.

Nino felt the chill from Seifer's arm as it's warmth left her back. He reached for the book, running his hands down the textured cover, inspecting it close. He took in the aged details, the history that the book told just by holding it.

"You come from a bloodline that was once the most feared in Centra. We were warriors, gods among mortal men. Your name comes from the last king before the fall. Seiferion, the Blood King – the Savior of Alnaj. When the false King Zebalga destroyed our lands, Seiferion rose up with the Blessings of Hyne and built a powerful empire that covered all of Centra and reached Esthar – all the way to the Nortes Mountains and Grandidi Forests."

Seifer took great care in opening the book, listening to the spine as it cracked, turning the pages. Nino looked down at the yellow pages, she couldn't understand the script. Most of it was in Centran. He turned a page to view the illustrations depicting a great battle, a fall, a man with a hollowed knife draining the blood of the king, capturing the essence.

"The Blood King was tricked by a wicked man, Vascaroon. He stole the Blood of the our King. Because Seiferion still held the power deep within him, Vascaroon captured and transformed him into a Guardian Force to be controlled. The Blood and the Guardian were separated, sealed and taken across the oceans to seal within a tomb out of the reach of Centra and Esthar."

"The Tomb of the Unknown King..." Torrin mused. "When your SeeD buddies went in and claimed the Guardian Forces protecting it they failed to grab the real power locked deep beneath the tomb. Lucky for us..."

"Torrin, you are getting ahead of yourself..." Artos warned, keeping his eyes on Seifer. Nino watched as Torrin sat back, watching Seifer for his reaction.

Seifer turned a page, his hands pressing to the markings in the book. Some looked ancient, indecipherable. His fingers followed along the lines of text, too engrossed to notice anything else going on around him.

Artos composed himself, "...When the Blood King fell, the entirety of his grand empire crumbled by sworn enemies to Alnaj. They drove our once-proud people back to where we came from, back to the Mountains where we have fought to discover the methods of harnessing the same power King Seiferion once held. Eventually, we developed the means to search for the Blessings of Hyne as well as our most sacred Guardian Force. We formed alliances with other countries, the purpose to focus on devising methods of bringing that power to mortals by whatever means necessary. Alnaj served as seekers of our King and the Blood and while the world around them began to shift and form into today's illustrious society, we became the hidden force known as Syndicate."

Artos leaned forward, turning to a part of the book.

"Prophecy states that once reborn, the Blood Gift would bring power unimaginable by mortal man, bringing in a new age of living gods among men. They were once called Empyrals – they were chosen beings that were given the Gifts of Hyne – they were given the abilities to bond with the Guardian Force, abilities to harness and control that power. But for us to bring the ancient Empyrals back, we had to find the Blood, as well as the Guardian Force. Lucky for us, we found both. Through the centuries our people searched and it wasn't until my lifetime that the Blood was finally found, along with the Guardian Force we know as Seiferion." Artos leaned forward, catching Seifer's eye.

"The Blood was the rendered energy of the Gift of Hyne?" Seifer looked up. "So what am I exactly? What does this mean?"

"Seifer, my son, you were the one the Blood chose to be Reborn. You are the Empyral that will lead us into the new age, the rise of the Alnaj."

"Hm." Seifer sat quietly, he slowly closed the book and rested it on his crossed leg. Nino felt his arm return back behind her, his hand lightly pressed to her back as he sighed. "Empyral." Seifer said the word carefully, letting it roll out of his mouth. "When you had me Infused in D-District, I died..."

"Yes, son." Artos nodded, "Within you, you hold the original blood, one of the first Guardian Forces ever manifested on this earth – the original Gift of Hyne. This is only possible through Rebirth."

 _There's no way that you could possibly be buying into any of this... I know you are smarter than this, Seifer..._

Nino watched Seifer out of the corner of her eye, watched as he kept his composure, maintaining a calm, relaxed state. He looked around the room, to Torrin and back to Artos as he continued to speak.

"Your mother, Elia..." Artos stood, reaching for the liquor on the counter, courtesy of Balamb Garden and the Unified Council. "She knew you were the 'Blessed Child' before any of us had. She was watching you play one day when you looked up at her and she told me that she just knew. Elia was selfish, emotional, so she fled in the night like a thief. She took with her you and your brother."

"She stole us from Father." Torrin muttered, closing his fists.

Seifer's eyes left Artos to glance at Torrin. He uncrossed his leg, crossing the other.

"Elia fled to a settlement in the Lenown Plains. When we found them, you have to understand that there was no choice in the matter. Your mother drew her weapon and I had to protect you both. Sadly, when I made it there, you and Torrin were gone." Artos poured his drink, taking a sip. "I thought I had lost you both."

"We were hiding in the cupboard." Seifer looked up, closing the book. "Torrin put his hand over my mouth and hugged me. A few days of silence, he left to find food or someone to help us. We were hungry. He never came back."

"We are still unclear how you made it to the Orphanage. By the time we discovered where you had gone, you had already left."

Seifer nodded, touching the red leather cross-sword on the front, tracing the blackened wings around it. "I'm coming with you when you leave." Seifer reached for the bottle of liquor, pouring his own glass. "I have nothing here."

"What?" It was a slip that Nino let fall out of her mouth. She wasn't heard by anyone but Seifer.

Seifer knocked back the glass, setting it down. "I have nothing here. I feel for no one here." He stared at his father. "I discovered the origins of my birth last night and pieces fell together. Squall, he kept this from me. Irvine, he used my pain for his own personal gain. Zell? Zell knew about Nino and didn't tell me," Seifer's gaze met with Nino's. "I'm sure it's not a secret that I have a... sort of attachment to her..." He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, expressionless as he turned back to his father. "The things that I have... endured... because of these people here is difficult to simply forget." He sat the glass on the table, crossing a leg. "Retribution... is what I feel right now."

"You are certain?" Artos leaned forward. "You want to leave all this behind and return to your family?"

"Why not? Maybe with me in charge and not this..." Seifer sized Torrin up, shaking his head. "Poor excuse..."

Nino watched as Torrin's expression grew deathly serious. He stood, slowly approaching. "You question my abilities, little brother? You don't even know who you're speaking to – the kind of power that I wield!"

Artos turned, "Torrin–"

"I don't hold much respect for those who cause unnecessary violence." Seifer took a drink. "It's wasted energy, if you're so quick to cause harm on one of your Agents, I can only imagine what you would do with an entire faction..." Seifer chuckled to himself, "You're a joke, that wasn't terribly hard to figure out..."

"You think you could do better?!" Torrin clenched his jaw. Nino watched as Artos sat back, watching the two, keeping his attentions directly on Seifer. He seemed to be fascinated by Seifer, mesmerized.

"Oh, I know I would." Seifer spoke bluntly, a smirk playing on his lips. "At 18 years of age I was the head of the entire Galbadian Army. I was the Commanding Officer for Galbadia Garden. I ordered G-Forces and Endrik Mireille to resurrect the Lunatic Pandora deep from the ocean. We then traveled to Esthar where my forces decimated the city all while recovering Sorceress Adel." Seifer chuckled. "Tell me, Father, what has he accomplished at what? 30? A failed assassination? Murdering SeeDs on live television for sport? Not like you got away with it. I heard your Compound was abandoned when SeeD discovered your location. And you managed to lose a notable SeeD Operative? Well done, big brother." Seifer lifted his own glass. Artos was won over, his smile widening when Seifer's smile mimicked his own. They toasted, both shooting back their liquor.

"I will not stand here and be disrespected..."

"Seifer–" Nino grabbed his arm, watching Torrin's hands beginning to glow. She felt Seifer's hand brush past her as he reached out, the black matter manifesting into a black energy that shot Torrin across the room and into the wall. It was quick, unexpected. The action caused Nino to jump away from him.

Nino and Artos flinched as Torrin stood back on his feet. The two brothers stood upright but Seifer was the first to speak. "You may be older, but I am stronger. Did you not listen to Father's story? I'm the one who contains the original Blood, the Gifts given from Hyne himself..." Seifer narrowed his eyes at Torrin until he backed down. With a smug grin he turned back to Artos. "You can't afford not to have me. The things I can do... it's wasted potential if I stay here."

"And you can do it on command? There's no limit? No charge?" Artos was astonished as he admired his son's true talent. He was comparing Seifer to the standard Empyrals who had to charge up their powers for them to be used. Even Nino's healing abilities weren't immediate and eventually exhausted. Seifer seemed to have full control of it.

Seifer released a quick chuckle and threw the manifested tendrils toward Nino's chest. It dissipated by the time it reached her, leaving only a gust of air.

Nino released her breath, frozen by fear. She watched as Artos looked her over like she was a piece of property. "Take Nino with you. She will be a good Asset for you, consider her a welcome gift."

"Father, no!" Torrin rushed to Nino, standing in front of her ready to fight. "She is intended to be MY Support–"

"And yet you have not utilized her gift. You have proven to use her more like a plaything to torment rather than a tool to be used for the betterment of the coming war."

Seifer turned to Nino, his cold stare washed over her, making her petrified. He turned his head. "Very well. I suppose there's still some attraction there..." Seifer inched closer to her. "What do you think, Nino?"

"If it pleases Syndicate." She didn't hesitate, her voice void and repetitious.

Artos was pleased, he turned to Torrin. "We will find you a new Support, Torrin."

"Father–"

"You are dismissed, Torrin. I'm sure that Ellone will be wondering where you've gone." Artos' tolerance was clearly waning on his oldest son, much as he had with everyone else in the room since arriving in Balamb. Something about being near Seifer changed him from the fearless monster she knew him as to a simpering boy but she knew he was just as dangerous, if not more so. She could feel Torrin's boiling rage as he walked past, obeying his father's command but not without glaring at Seifer and Nino.

Seifer kept her close, his grip firm on her arm, unfazed as Torrin made his exit. "I'm surprised Syndicate has survived as long as it did with you, brother..."

Torrin stopped, turning back to Seifer. His hateful eyes flickered to Nino. "Just wait..."

Artos stepped forward, closing the door and turning back to Seifer. "You'll have to excuse him. He is a good Agent but the new Infusions have given him more power than he knows what to do with."

Seifer dismissed it with a hand, "What is the next step? What is it that you need me to do? I am prepared to ensure that everything runs smooth during tonight's festivities."

"Nothing. Enjoy yourself. It will prove to be a marvelous display of our powers and abilities." Artos smiled, his gaze fell on Nino. "We will meet you both this evening. I'll have someone bring Nino's things to your room."

Nino thought smile Artos wore was a smile of pride as they stepped outside and began walking to Seifer's room. It seemed Artos had finally found the true heir to his legacy.

Neither of them spoke as Seifer guided her down the hall, his hand was firm and tightly gripped her arm. His legs too longer strides the further away they were. "Seifer?"

He didn't speak, he didn't look at her. Seifer's long legs were hard to keep up with in heels. His fingers were starting to dig into her arm as they turned the corner and Nino started to worry. It was concerning the way he acted inside Artos' room. It was unsettling to think he had bought into all of it. Seifer had never been a religious person, had he changed so much? She thought of what had happened. She had been around Empyrals since she was infused but never had she seen manifestations like that. Seifer was different than the others. Could it have really been a Gift from Hyne? Was Syndicate right?

Seifer quickly unlocked his door, letting Nino walk in first. She looked around, making sure that they were alone. The moment he shut the door it was locked. He pressed his hands to the door frame, dropping his head low.

"Seifer?"

Seifer pushed out a long breath of air between his lips.

"Seifer–"

"I need a minute here, Nino." He was frozen in place, staring at the floor. "I honestly didn't think that would work as well as it did..." Seifer backed away from the door, looking to see it was locked. He kept his voice firm, sounding deeper than it had five years ago, older and more mature. She watched as he took in a breath of air, searching the quarters. "I want to apologize for that disgusting display I had to put on in there..."

Nino watched as he moved into his bedroom, doing a quick sweep for anything suspicious.

"It was everything I could do to not kill Torrin when I saw him trying to hurt you..." He moved into the other room, sliding open the door. Nino could see there wasn't much inside. She saw a stack of weights and a pull up bar before he closed the door.

 _Why didn't you...?_

He brisked past her to look in the bathroom, checking behind the wall that hid the toilet. Seifer hadn't looked at her since leaving Artos. "I wanted to wait until we got inside here to talk. Much safer."

"In the bathroom?"

"In the – oh, no..." Seifer chuckled anxiously, closing the door behind him. His smile faded when his eyes stopped at her feet. It was almost like he wasn't ready to look at her again. Nino watched his smile fade when it both dawned on them that they had believed each other had been dead for the last five years.

Nino watched his hand slowly pull away from the door, letting it hang at his side as the other rested on his hip. He shifted his weight to the other foot after a while and scratched at his arm. Nino realized that she was scared to look at him too.

"All clear?"

"Yeah." His voice was quieter now as he let out his breath. "You're alive..."

She looked down at his feet and smiled. He wore a casual leather shoe, black and cleanly polished. Her eyes moved to the black bootcut jeans and button down shirt. She remembered a time where he hated wearing button down shirts, now it seemed to fit him perfectly.

The last time she saw him alive before the Summit, he had been running late for work. He had thrown on his Shining Bomber shirt, the grey blue tee with the Dollet Pub logo screen printed on the front. Underneath he wore a white thermal, his pants hadn't even been buckled all the way when he made it downstairs. She had heard Seifer yell out in pain, slipping on the tricky step on the staircase. Nino had made him breakfast before work, eggs and toast with bacon. When she realized the time she quickly shifted his food into a sandwich and wrapped it neatly in a paper towel. Once he walked in he smiled when she handed it to him. "Happy Birthday. See you when you get home." He gave her a quick kiss, grabbing his keys and running out the door.

 _Where do we start?_

When she met his gaze Nino noticed that he had been watching her too, studying her features. She couldn't help but wonder what memories he had thought of when he looked at her. Five years was a long time, the life they had together almost felt like a dream. Everything about Seifer seemed so foreign to her now. She watched how he tried to begin at least fifteen different sentences, each beginning with a new syllable. He would pause, almost to tell himself to try again.

He pressed a closed fist to his lips, slowly approaching. "You're..."

Neither of them were sure on where or how to start. After five years and the hell they had both endured. She watched as Seifer tried to speak again, closing the space between them mere inches at a time, still trying to speak.

 _I have years of things I want to tell you too. So many things I have to say... That was a lifetime ago, Seifer... five years ago we were happy, we were in love... do we still love each other? Are we still happy with each other? I have so many questions, so many things I want to say but..._

Nino turned away from him, unable to handle being so close to him, being in the same room with him, finally.

Her body froze when she felt his hand slowly move to her neck, brushing the hair away like he would to kiss her. She closed her eyes, feeling the hairs stand up all over her body when he gently traced the outline of her neck. Seifer was so close she could feel his body temperature, catching hints of his cologne. The scent was crisp and masculine, reminding her of summer near the beach.

 _We can't just pick up where we left off. We –_

Nino's eyes opened as Seifer wrapped his arms around her chest, blanketing her body with his. She could feel their feet were intertwined and she leaned back into him. His arms tightened more as he drew in her scent. Nino could almost feel a pulse course through her, as if the energy between them created a oneness as it flowed together.

Her hands went up, holding onto his forearm, the blonde hairs on his arms were soft while his muscles were flexed.

"Seifer, what have you done?" Nino finally whispered. She felt his arms relax as she pulled away, turning to him. "Do you realize what happens now?"

Seifer gave her a single nod.. His lips parted and he spoke low, quiet. "I'm going to take out Syndicate before they make a move on the Council."

"How?" Nino shook her head in disbelief. "You can't just take them on alone..."

The sound of his phone going off stole his attention away from her. Her body felt colder as he stepped away, pulling out his phone.

"Obviously, that would be suicide..." Seifer's voice fell silent as he responded to a text. She watched as he pocketed the phone again, searching for her next stream of words but found none. She was unnerved by his sense of calm as he sent a message on his phone.

"It's all going to be fine. We got this."

"Who's we?! Do–" Her voice floundered as he smirked. "What is so amusing to you?"

"I think it's endearing you think I'm some clueless idiot about to walk into a problem I can't take care of."

It dawned on her that he had a plan before meeting his father.

Seifer's hands brushed her jawline, a thumb to her lips. "It's strange...everything has changed about you..."

"I could say the same..." Nino moved a hand down to his arm, looking down at the dipped in scar at his inner elbow, she had the same. It was where they had infused her. "Seifer... what did they infuse you with? I've never seen power like that before–"

"Nino." She watched as Seifer's eyes closed tight, craning his neck to the side as if something scratched inside his ear. "It's better if we don't talk about it right now..." He opened his eyes, clasping her face between his hands. She was almost certain that he was going to kiss her until the knock came at the door.

"Who is that?" Her eyes narrowed, pulling away from him.

Seifer chuckled quietly, licking his lips. "Calm down, it's probably just Irvine and Zell." He brushed past her, going to the door. "Remember when I said we'd handle it?"


	21. Different Beat

Zell compulsively shook his leg when he was anxious. He hated sitting still for long periods at a time and it seemed that he had been sitting there for nearly an hour. He hated the observation room. It was so clinical, so impersonal with the motivational posters that had been there since he was a boy. Outdated, old and telling him to be tested for safe intercourse.

The room was dark, the only light shining through had been the light coming from the patients room directly next door as Ellone and the rest of the family gathered and waited for Tomé to arrive. Ellone sat straight up on the bed, her hand gracefully rubbing the top of her small belly and Laguna sat next to her on the stool with Alisa sitting on his lap. Squall had made himself a cozy spot leaned up against the window, his arms crossed and his head low. Something hadn't stuck out in Zell's mind, telling him there was something wrong. When he looked to Squall it seemed he had been far too stressed out to enjoy the time he had with his family all together like they were.

Across from Ellone sat Olivar and Artos, Ellone's father-in-law but Zell was the only one in the room who knew who they really were. Torrin and Artos Almasy, the last living relatives of Zell's rival. Torrin, Zell couldn't take his eyes off the man who cut his face. The psychopath who tried to drown him, tortured him. Seifer's brother, his family sitting with Zell's family, the one he chose to keep and protect. Now he couldn't protect them, even when Torrin would lean over and plant a soft kiss on Ellone's forehead.

Everyone was dressed in their best, ready to leave for the Luncheon in the Banquet Hall directly after. As much as Zell hated wearing long sleeves and long dress pants, he put on a brave face and did it anyway to please Squall, but he kept the sleeves of his green dress shirt rolled up. Anything on his bare arms made him feel compressed and suffocated.

Along with Zell sat Quistis, Selphie and Irvine, all huddled together sitting on the metal fold out chairs they had brought so they didn't all have to sit on the uncomfortable couch in the back of the room for guests.

Zell glanced through the window to get a peek in the hallway, looking for Seifer. Guarding the doors to the patient's room stood Kiros and Ward, standing as protectors so the family could have their privacy. Sadly it was Kiros who was blocking Zell's line of sight so his efforts remained fruitless. Edea had been excused when she started to feel ill. It was Seifer who was first to volunteer escorting her back to her room.

 _Of course! Let the 'Sorceress Knight' escort Matron... Tch! So typical of our Commander Overlord... I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the guy. He's stressed, I get it._

"So... when can we start taking bets on Mr. Victarion Seifer's father?"

"Huh?! H-How um... how did- what?!" Zell felt like he was the only one in the room who reacted accordingly to Selphie's statement. That was because he was the only one who even bothered reacting. Everyone else just continued staring at the man unfazed.

Selphie turned to look at Zell, a hand moving to his knee to get his attention. "Am I the only one who sees it? They all have the same eyes! It's so freaky! Who else has seen eyes like Seifer's? Zell? What do you think?"

Zell kept quiet, shrugging being his only answer as a thumb pressed hard into his lips. Seifer had insisted on waiting until they convened before he broke the big news to the others.

 _You couldn't be more spot on, Sel..._

"Well, to be fair, not everyone has gotten _that_ close to be able to gaze into Seifer's eyes..." Irvine chuckled, adjusting his hat.

"We all have." Zell rubbed his eye, still sore. "Some of us get _real_ close to his fists too."

"Oh come on, he didn't hit you that hard." Irvine kicked Zell's seat, leaning back behind him in his.

"Why _did_ he hit you?" Quistis turned, speaking a little too loudly for Zell's liking. They looked to Squall who turned his head over to the window, making a glaring request for them to be silent.

"...We were... working out."

"Working out some deep-seeded issues, maybe."

"Irvine!" If Zell's looks could kill Irvine would have been dead on the floor.

The footsteps bounding down the hall were heavy. Zell recognized them as Seifer. They looked up and watched as Seifer skirted passed an Operative Medic and slipped inside the viewing room. "Any news yet? Did I miss it?"

"No, still waiting on Tomé. How's Matron?" Selphie snagged a sucker candy from the jar by the window, they were meant for the cadets but Selphie didn't care. She popped it into her mouth all the same as she crossed her leg over the other.

"She's uh, she's fine. Resting." The tall blonde turned to Zell and Irvine. "Everything good to go?"

The Training Center. Seifer had contacted Irvine and Zell to meet in his quarters earlier that morning. Zell was relieved to find that Nino was in Seifer's care and away from Syndicate, if at least for now. It was a relief to see she had survived but she had been different somehow. One thing stayed the same: the strange patter they shared. Neither of them had the chance to fully discuss it, and it looked as though today wasn't going to be a day to do so either.

Seifer instructed them to pack their gear and meet in the Training Center during the Summit Luncheon. Zell was almost positive Seifer wanted to finish the job he started on the night before but Nino's presence reassured him that it was something else. He hoped it would have been a plan to stop Syndicate but Zell knew that Seifer was known for changing plans at the last moment.

"Yep. All good. Weapons are hiding in a tree trunk out by the secret area."

"Woah, woah..." Quistis put a hand up, her tone dropping to a whisper. "Will someone tell me what is going on? What do you mean – _weapons_?"

"Yeah, weapons. Yours... Selphie's..." Seifer waved a finger around the room, seeming out of breath. "Everyone's." Zell watched the way Seifer's legs shook, almost mirroring his own. Seifer leaned forward, almost itching to leave once they announced the gender.

"You know we have to wait until everyone is up there doing the lunch thing, right?" Irvine leaned over to Seifer, whispering as Seifer dismissed him with a nod.

"Alright! That's it!" Quistis' slapped her hands on her thighs as she stood, "I'm going to get Squall–"

"NO!" Selphie made a loud popping noise, pulling out the red sucker in her mouth. Her hands shot up to jerk Quistis back down into her seat. Her black boot on her crossed leg bobbed up and down. She seemed to be ready to fight as well. "It's all good! We're helpin' Seifer train his powers to stop the Syndicate assassins that infiltrated Garden!"

"What?!" Quistis nearly jumped out of her skin. Seifer put a hand on her arm.

"HAHAHA I KNOW RIGHT!?" Selphie giggled, nudging Zell in the arm as hard as she could to get him to start laughing as well. The best he could muster was a weak chuckle. She and Irvine laughed as hard as she could as Seifer pulled on Quistis' arm to get her to lean in close.

"They can hear us. Meet in the Training Center and I can explain." Seifer smiled, chuckling as he shook his head, keeping up with the guise.

Their attention turned to Squall as he knocked on the windows, "Come on guys..."

"Don't tell Squall." Irvine whispered under his breath. "We'll explain later..."

"Ugh... you guys..." Quistis bit her lip, shaking her head. "You do not want to be on Squall's bad side at a time like this. You have to tell him – if this is true–"

"Quistis..." Seifer turned his attention towards his former Instructor. "I've got it covered, it's going to be okay." Seifer sounded so final in the way he responded to Quistis' warning, causing Zell to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

Everyone shifted, more so in excitement as they watched Tomé step inside the patient room.

"Woah. Biiiiig family!" Tomé grinned, stepping inside with her ultrasound equipment. "I don't think we've ever had so many people inside our exam room before. Or so many famous people..." She closed the door, making it difficult to hear the rest of their conversation.

They waited with baited breath as Tomé explained the process, her mouth moving a mile a minute as she showed off the equipment she would be using. She began the process, most of it covered by Squall's back when he moved in the way. Assisting with Ellone's privacy, Laguna stood beside Squall with his granddaughter on his hip, quietly whispering.

"So Seifer, congratulations on having SeeD certification this _entire_ time..." Quistis smiled, nudging him. Zell found it weird that she would bring it up during a time like this, that was until he realized that Seifer had made her forget she was angry. All the Empyral did was roll his eyes at the statement, shrugging it off so casual.

"Yeah...now just how much backpay are we talkin' here? Enough for us to go hit the casinos in Deling City?" Irvine leaned in, grinning ear to ear like an idiot. "Like, what was your rank?"

"None of it really matters. It was uh... SeeD Rank 10. I get about 120,000 when I'm released from Commander Overlord's Authority." Seifer crossed his arms. "It doesn't even feel real and to be honest I..."

The movement in the room pulled everyone's attention away from the conversation as they watched as everyone moved in to hug Ellone. Seifer had the best angle to see the monitor. Zell wondered if his Empyral eyesight was a real thing or not. Even if they couldn't make out what was there, everybody leaned in all the same on top of Seifer, waiting for Tomé to finally move and give the good news. Laguna was first to break away, wiping his eyes as he turned to the observation room. Now he was the one grinning ear to ear like an idiot.

"Oh no..." Seifer groaned under his breath, a look of grief overtaking him as he pressed his back into the seat.

"WE'RE HAVING A BABY GIRL!" Laguna hugged Alisa and Squall, his face fixed in a giant smile. "I'M GONNA HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL GRANDDAUGHTERS!"

Selphie smiled at her 'Sir Laguna,' her smile waning when she realized Seifer was displeased. "What's... wrong with a girl? Is that bad?"

"That's... it's going to be problematic, Selphie. Let's leave it at that for now..." Seifer smiled back to Laguna, trying to keep up appearances. "We need to get started. Soon."

"Why is _that_ problematic?" Zell turned to Seifer, watching the Empyral rise from his seat and start to walk out.

"Seifer?" He grabbed the door frame when Quistis called for him and Seifer spun on his heels in a state of realization.

" _Ohhhh..._ you guys don't know." Seifer's low tone set the mood as he looked around to the row of confused faces. "Torrin and Artos? That's my family. Blood relatives. Brother and Father."

"What...?" Quistis crinkled her brow, looking up at Seifer in utter disbelief. "that's... that's just impossible with a shaking head. And... Squall and Ellone my brother and sister – by marriage, of course... and I just found out that I'm having a baby niece." He kept his lips parted as he digested the news himself. "And... my niece is going to be born into a family that kills first born daughters."

"I _KNEW_ IT! I just _knew_ you guys were all three related!" Selphie jumped up, stopping while she stood like a statue, finally putting _all_ the pieces together. "Hey – wait–"

"Yeah... did I forget to mention they're also _completely_ insane?" They watched as Seifer jumped up, he tried to beat Olivar to the door but hit eetrying to leave when Olivar quickly rushed outside, blocking Seifer.

"Can you believe it, Seifer?" He yanked the blonde in and Zell cringed knowing that Seifer absolutely hated being touched by anyone without warning and hre Torrin was, slapping him hard on the back. " A little girl to carry the family line! How lovely!"

Zell watched Seifer pull himself away, his muscles tensing as he straighened and adjusted his clothes. He smiled out of courtesy but Zell could see the resentment was glaringly obvious as Seifer looked to his older brother. "That's great. Fantastic. Wonderful."

–

Seifer had specific instructions on how to reach the Training Center. They couldn't all go at once so two at a time was ideal. Zell decided on Irvine, taking him would mean that if Seifer tried to kill him, he knew Irvine would be there in his defense. They found their weapons safely stored inside of a tree hollow as directed. They ran into the changing rooms, switching out their dress clothes for battle wear. Zell wore his ballistic vest as a precaution.

"So he has a plan?" Irvine checked his weapon, loading in the Pulse Ammo that Seifer requested. "Has he said anything to you?"

Zell shivered, feeling as if death walked in behind him. Tightening his gloves, Zell vowed that he would never forget the way Seifer's eyes flashed completely black before he threw his fist the night before. "No, nothing."

They heard a footstep and both turned, weapons drawn, fists out. Seifer appeared in black jeans and a white t-shirt. "Gentlemen..."

"Oh _shhhhit_." Zell looked to the door, looking at the Yellow Caution light. Locked in. "We're locked in with Seifer Almasy."

Irvine lowered his gun as he relaxed, unfazed. "What's going on? Do you have a plan?"

"Oh don't I?" Seifer approached, smiling but not at either of them. Zell noticed he was walking with a slight sway in his hips like he always did when he was showing off to someone. Their faces turned to hard confusion as he reached up to the collar of his white shirt with both hands, lifting the shirt over his head and off his body. He brushed a hand through his blonde hair, the whole thing nauseating for Zell to witness. Seifer had it all, the perfect straight line of teeth, the height, the complexion, the golden radiant blonde hair, the physique... Seifer was so obnoxiously tall and annoyingly 'beautiful,' his form like a statue... and Zell hated him.

"Is he trying to seduce us or does he want us to actually _help_ him train?"

Seifer's gaze went to them and back between them, balling up his shirt and tossing it in between their shoulders. The two men both flinched as a black leather clad hand seemed to have came out of nowhere, catching the shirt and revealing that there had been someone standing there longer than either Zell or Irvine would have known.

"Are the two mutually exclusive?" A coy smile was on Nino's lips when she brushed past them, a hand reaching out to lightly touch Zell's chest as the patter settled.

"HYNE! Where did you come from?" Irvine held his shotgun to her, his hand shaky.

"Calm down, Irvine. If I was going to kill you..."

Zell finished, "It would have happened. Trust me."

They watched as Nino took a quick second to admire the view of Seifer standing as perfect as he was and Zell found himself rolling his eyes even harder when Seifer ate it all up. She stood next to him at attention, slipping her hands into her back pockets.

"We don't have much time, I need your help." Seifer cleared his throat, "The both of you owe me. Irvine, you got a promotion because you shot me. Zell, you kept Nino's identity from me..." It was like they were shot in the face from the shock of how nonchalant Seifer was about it. "Syndicate is striking tonight at the Summit Ball. I need to prepare myself for a battle with these Empyrals so... make it up to me by letting me shoot my black matter at you." He hid his amusement, activating the material in his hands. "Zell, you go first."

 _I'm so freaking dead. He's going to kill me and enjoy it._

"Do I have to? Can't I sit this one out?!"

 _He's going to laugh about it while walking down the halls..._

"Well, I guess I could just _make_ you..." There was that smile. That same smile that used to torment him growing up. Seifer was such a bastard.

 _Nobody will know where Ol' Zell went because there will be nothing left when he's done with me..._

Zell whined, feeling Irvine shove him forward as he made final adjustments to his gloves. "I'm dead. I'm so dead..."

"I'm here to heal if needed." Nino winked, stepping aside to give them room. Irvine moved over to join her, seeming to find it impossible not to give her the same look that he gave any women he had not yet slept with in typical Irvine fashion.

Seifer's perpetual smirk widened as he started to step sidestep backwards, "Come at me, Zell."

"I can't just _go_ at you like that! I'm not some kind of machine. I'm..."

 _Scared. Terrified. Nervous. Gonna die. So gonna be dead tonight._

"What? Actin' like a little _chickie_?" Seifer grinned and begun to flap his arms as though they were wings.

 _Don't you fucking do it._

"Ba-Ba-BAWK!" Seifer cackled. "Come on CHICKEN-WUSS! BWAAA–"

"I'VE HAD IT! THAT'S THE _LAST_ TIME YOU CALL ME CHICKEN-WUSS!"

Zell balled his fingers into a fist slamming them together hard before charging at Seifer. He spun, delivering a single kick before being thrown back. He looked up, Seifer's black matter had created a scaly shield across his arm and shattered. The words 'chicken-wuss' once more on his lips and Zell growled, launching from the ground and delivered a fury of punches and jabs. Each one blocked by the shields. He kicked and felt the hard surface and it fueled him all the more. In a flurry he threw punches and Seifer was quick to deflect with his manifestation of a shield.

"If you can hurt me I will vow to _never_ call you Chicken-Wuss again. Now COME ON! Give me something I can't block, already!" Seifer jeered, poking his head out before it was covered with the shield. "You're supposed'ta be a goddamn Master Operative aren't ya?! Prove it!"

 _Oh I got somethin for ya..._

Zell reared back and launched a powerful heel drop, blocked. "BOOYA!" He threw his fists, blocked but delayed. He was starting to weaken. A mach kick delivered a chuckle from out of Seifer as he used the tendrils to deflect Zell's fast and heavy blows. Finally Seifer used the tendril to whip at him, finally beginning to attack Zell right back.

Zell started to dodge the attacks, dropping low and swooping around. He pounded his chest, finally getting sick of Seifer's smug grin. He launched again, throwing Seifer and keeping him busy with a series of kicks and blows. Zell threw his body into a powerful spinning kick, slamming his back hard into the rough surface of the ground. Seifer winced as the skid formed a deep red scrape exposing raw skin covered most of his bare back as he slid backwards even farther.

"HELL YEAH!" Zell moved his feet around Seifer, so happy he wasn't about to stop his dancing feet. "I call _that_ one 'Different Beat!' but _YOUUU_ can call that ' _You-Never-Getting-To-Call-Me-Chicken-Wuss-Again'_! HA- _HA_!"

Seifer heaved, out of breath. "Ngh! Okay fine, fair. You win this round."

Zell couldn't help it, he continued to dance around Seifer, taunting as he walked off. "What's the matter Seifer? Can't take the HEAT?" He really needed to work on his puns. And his footing. Seifer reached behind him with a materialized tendril, whipping Zell's legs to the floor, knocking him flat on his ass.

 _Okay, maybe I deserved that for showboating..._

Seifer reached around to touch inspect the wounds on his back, shrugging it off as he turned to Irvine. "I'm ready."

Irvine sighed, shrugging of his jacket and shuffled to his area of the sparring circle. "Man, if I kill you..."

"Do me a favor..." Seifer turned to show him the mark of Irvine's bullet on his shoulder. "See that? I want you do try and do that again. It's just like last time, except instead of a promotion you get to walk out of here alive. Got it?" He winked, slapping a hand to Irvine's back before he made his way to the other side of the area. "Shoot whenever you're ready. I need it to be a surprise. See if you can give me a scar to match it..."

Irvine looked back to Zell and Nino and raised his shotgun to take aim. When he pulled the trigger all three watched as Seifer was instantaneously shielded. The bullet's powerful energy bounced off like a laser off a mirror. The beam of the Pulse Ammo scorched the trees beside them.

"WOAH!" Zell jumped back with an arm instinctively going to Nino who barely flinched. "Careful, man!"

Irvine switched to his revolver, aiming and taking fire. Seifer threw up an arm and shielded. "Dude! You've got to do something different. Shields are boring."

"Fine, come on then..." Seifer flexed, destroying the shield and he closed his eyes, chains and tendrils forming.

Zell and Nino found a place to sit on the rocks side by side. Nino turned behind her to reach for her bag and she brought out a bag of dried fruit, one of Zell's favorite snacks for as long as he could remember. She reached in and grabbed a handful and passed the bag to him.

"How'd you know these were my favorite? You even bought the right kind..." Zell reached in for a handful, a brow raising as he looked to Nino.

"I didn't." Nino crunched a dried banana in her teeth. Her long canines showing off. "Lucky guess." Her eyes moved back to the fight, her hand motioned to Irvine. "So this is fun..."

Zell's eyes widened to Nino, looking over at her. "This is fun for you?"

"Well, all things considered, sure..." She shrugged, her dangling foot kicked the side of his shoe. "Seifer got me away from Torrin... from Artos... I don't know but I get this feeling like... like things are actually..."

"Looking up?" Zell smiled, snagging another piece of fruit.

"Yeah." Nino grinned, "I'm glad you're alright. It sounds strange but... I kind of missed you. You make things clearer for me, I don't get understand why but you just do. Thanks Zell."

Zell blushed, his thumb going to his mouth as he chewed. He had missed her company also.

Nino held her hand on his shoulder to massage the muscle, the red glow started the process of healing the damage he sustained from Seifer's power. She flinched from the pain rising in her own body, but she remained steady on him.

"Why do you do it if it hurts you?"

"My body will repair the transferred injury faster than yours ever could." Nino pressed another hand to the scars from the grapple. "It stings but it's tolerable."

Zell watched as Irvine fired every bullet he had at Seifer only to have them repelled. He was nicked several times, superficial cuts from the bullets and the tendrils but no actual impacts were made.

"He's getting good."

"He's getting tired...and sloppy." Nino noticed, referring to the injuries. She slipped off the rocks to assist.

Irvine was out of Ammo by the time Seifer finally dropped to his knees, struggling to get his breath. His blood streaked chest heaved, glistening with moisture. "Good... just give me a second..." He fell back, exhausted. Nino stood by his side and helped him sit back up. Not one to be weak in front of others, Seifer shrugged off his injuries, taking the bottle of water being offered and rinsed away the grime. By the time he stood the wounds were already closing to everyone amazement.

Irvine was talking with Nino when Zell noticed Seifer draw in a hitching breath, wincing in pain. He took a quick sip of water and swallowed wrong, lurching forward in a coughing fit. Zell slipped off the rock he had been sitting on and rushed to Seifer's side, watching as he turned away to cover his mouth with his arm and continue coughing.

 _That doesn't look right...wait – is that...?!_

"Dude! Are you alright?!" When Seifer recovered Zell saw the spray of deep red blood spattered in the crook of his arm. Saving face, Seifer quickly wiped his mouth, a streak of blood still across his cheek as he reassured Nino he was fine.

They took a break, Zell hanging back while Irvine returned to the Luncheon. By the time Quistis and Selphie arrived, Seifer was ready to go. Nearly dancing on the balls of his feet when they took their time getting to them. Both women were dressed for training and once the weapons were in their hands they didn't hesitate to jump in.

"I think Selphie and I could blow off some steam..." Quistis snapped her Save the Queen at Seifer's feet. He jumped back, biting his lip. "You ready for me?"

"Oh hey now Instructor..." He winked to Nino, who rolled her eyes. "Don't make me blush..."

Another lash and Quistis caught his leg and tugged. "Going to actually pay attention to my instruction now?" A lash caught his arm, making him wince as he recoiled. She was good, very good with a whip with sharper senses than most of them. Quistis seemed to have noticed Seifer showing off for Nino. "So... still too focused on girls, I see. So who's your friend?" She stretched the whip, lashing as she spun around.

"Nino Mireille. She's a..." Seifer's shield blocked. "Rogue Syndicate Assassin." Seifer manifested a tendril, shooting out and catching the whip. He reeled back, grabbing the whip with his free hand with a widening smile.

Quistis caught the whip and looked to Nino and to Zell. "The famous Nino Zell's told us so much about?"

"I suppose so..."

She looked back to Seifer. "And... we can't tell Squall because...?"

"They're initiating an attack tonight at the Ball... Squall's already under their influence... from what Nino's told me he's already under their influence. Under my brother's influence..." Seifer deflected the whip, creating his own and slapping it at her own feet. "I need you to throw everything you've got at me, got it?."

Zell watched as Selphie left from the cozy spot next to Zell to join alongside Quistis and Seifer, her vitality and relentless vigor was starting to push Seifer's limits.

Though he would never admit it out loud to anyone, Zell always found Selphie in combat to be something of a thing of beauty. No reason in particular other than the fact that she always gave it her all. He had to catch himself a few times, noticing that he was staring at Selphie longer than what was deemed appropriate.

Seifer's skill at multiple enemies needed work and didn't let up. Quick to learn, Seifer started to improve. Eventually he managed to rip the weapons out of both their hands simultaneously. He had successfully won the sparring event.

"Nino! Give me a _real_ challenge." Seifer's head whipped back to the assassin, commanding her through his fevered grin. Zell could tell he was exhausted but he kept pressing on, not ready to call it a day until he was dead tired. Nino tossed back the bag of fruit to Zell and sauntered towards Seifer, both exchanging a furtive glance as she approached. Selphie gave Nino an appreciative nod, bouncing to Zell's side and sitting on the rock while Quistis took her position against a nearby tree to observe.

"He's getting really good at this whole Empyral thing, huh?" Selphie pulled her knees up and rested her chin.

"I guess so..."

"Is she a concern? Can we trust her?" Quistis rolled her shoulder, working out the kinks with a light massage. Zell couldn't remember the last time he saw Quistis hold her whip, let alone use it. "Is what Irvine said really true? About her being programmed? Could that become a potential threat?"

 _She isn't a threat... I think she's really here for us._

Zell kept silent, feeling the patter in his chest as Nino slipped out of her jacket, revealing the all-too-familiar Syndicate holsters on her back. Seeing them threw Zell into a sudden chill, the memories all coming back from the forest. He had to run for his life that day, and he watched time and time again as Nino had been so calculated in her executions. Swift, strong, deadly.

Nino unsheathed her matte black daggers, slapping them together and wasted no time in warming up with a few quick lashes to test the waters. Seifer manifested a form of Hyperion from the black energy, blocking her attacks with a satisfied grin.

"I don't think she's dangerous to us. If Zell trusts her, I trust her." Selphie reassured, laying her head on Zell's shoulder.

 _Why is she taking such a sudden interest in me like this? We're friends but... she's never this affectionate to me..._

It took Zell a moment to realize it, and when he did she quickly sat upright, her hand moving to his arm but looking right to Quistis. "I remember her eyes when we first met, I'll never forget them! They were like staring into death. But... it's kinda nice when she's around Seifer, isn't it? Both of them just look like they come to life. It's kind of romantic... isn't it Zell?"

 _How would I know? This is the first time any of us have really seen them together..._

"Uh... Oh! Yeah. So r _omantic._ "

They watched as Nino dodged his attack, kicking the shield he lifted, and shattered it beyond recognition. She spun and kicked again, this time knocking him flat on his back. She held the blades to his throat ready to cut when Zell jumped to his feet.

"NIN! DON'T DO IT!"

Nino took a breath and immediately jumped off, moving away from Seifer as quick as she could. Her hair fluttered around her but Zell caught the gaze. It made the hairs on his neck stand up, he's seen that look before. She was fighting the trance, her eyes vacant but still present.

"Is Seifer smiling?!" Selphie pointed. She stood up on the rock, using Zell's healed shoulder for leverage to try to get a better view. "She could have killed him!"

 _Who is she talking to?_

Nino ran to the edge of the area and took pause. She seemed to turn her head to the corner of the area and then back to Seifer. Her eyes narrowed and she charged him, daggers out, spinning.

Seifer jumped back, pushing Nino away but managed to come back with a slice in the arm. Effortlessly and to his surprise, Seifer reacted on instinct that the black energy began to form pillars from the ground up, creating more and more, carrying him higher.

"Didn't know he could do that..." Zell would believe anything at this point as they hovered over them. They turned around, their eyes never leaving the spectacle. Was there anything he couldn't do?

"I don't think he did either... this needs to end before someone gets hurt..." Quistis backed away, whip in hand.

Everyone watched as Nino jumped on, following him as they went up into the air. Seifer's expression was one of disbelief as he looked to the group with a quick laugh. His distracted thoughts earned him a deep cut across his cheek and he lashed back instinctively, hitting her in the ribs.

Nino's shirt ripped, blood slipping through. He got her a few times, just enough to get her to back away but it made her only push harder. The programmed responses making her more aggressive, more violent. The more Seifer climbed the more Nino moved and lashed out and she was getting quicker, faster.

 _Oh no..._

Zell remembered Roshfall Forest. Watching as Nino jumped and knocked down the Superior onto the ground, ramming the blade into him like it was nothing. No thoughts, no remorse. Jamming the blade into the Assassin one after another. She was a machine in her methods. He remembered running, the way she ran reminded him of a robot. Trained and programmed – focused. The way it was like she was always a step ahead of the others. He could almost see her eyes right in front of him, the way they had turned so vacant and lifeless when she rammed his shoulder back in place after he hit her. The fear he felt when he thought she was going to kill him came seeping up from the base of his stomach and he almost felt like he could have let out a scream.

Her face held no emotion as she struck at Seifer, someone Zell knew that she cared deeply for. She was going for blood, and this time she had her sights on Seifer.

He was her target.

"SEIFER!" Zell followed them, hoping they could stop Nino from causing any significant damage. Seifer was in danger.

"What's going on?" Quistis covered her eyes to shield from the overhead lights as Seifer dropped back to the ground, his face carrying his rage with him.

"Ninnoka, that's enough!" He staggered back, almost running. She was at full speed, slashing with the blades. "NINO! STOP!" She lept, almost like a cat into the air, coming down hard with the blades.

"Programmed right?! She's Syndicate – that means she won't stop until he's dead..." Quistis followed with her whip.

"We're coming Seifer! Hang on!" Selphie lifted her nunchakus.

"BOTH OF YOU STAY BACK! Ni – NINNOKA! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Seifer put up a wall of energy, watching as she climbed it and sprung at him, slicing his chest, his arm, his palm and narrowly missing the jugular. She nicked his thigh, his ribs, his chest once more. Seifer was quick but not fast enough for her frenzy. She was a woman possessed. She stabbed, slammed, slashed and pushed through, fighting to break everything in her path in efforts to weaken him piece by piece.

"It's not her, Seifer! Be careful!" Zell took off in a full sprint, running right for her. He cleared a fallen tree limb in a single jump, barely breaking his pace.

 _She's gonna kill him and not even realize it until it's done. Hurry!_

Nino caught Seifer off guard when he looked to Zell and they watched as Seifer's abdomen had been sliced deep – deep enough to see meat. He looked down a shaky hand clamped onto the gaping wound and he looked back at her with black eyes. Pure survival mode finally kicked in and Seifer's hand manifested a series of round pellets, firing them directly at her. She deflected some but was knocked down by the single powerful blast that followed soon after.

Nino staggered to her feet, her eyes still trapped in a void of programmed responses as she made one last effort in her final attack. She went for the running leap, her eyes never leaving Seifer's. He manifested a length of chain, whipping it towards her and binding her tight. Finally Nino was taken down. She collapsed, unable to breathe from the intense hold he had to maintain on her. Seifer was next to fall, landing on his knees with a agonizing groan as an arm covered his deepest wound. He curled inward, holding everyone at bay as he looked to Zell, "If I put my hands on her the chain will vanish. I need you to help her."

 _What the hell am I supposed to do?! What CAN I do?!_

"But –"

"DO IT! NOW!" Seifer let out a painful moan, rocking back and forth. The extent of his injuries was very clear from the steady stream of blood slowly gushing between his fingers. His teeth were stained pink, his breathing labored as he tried to maintain consciousness.

By the time Zell made it to her side her eyes were pale, vacant. Her breathing was shallow, rhythmic almost like a steady pant. Zell put her hands to her face, trying to get her to look at him. "Nino?"

"We need to get you both to the Infirmary..." Selphie knelt down to pry the daggers out of Nino's writhing hands. Once freed, Selphie passed them to Quistis while Zell continued to work on bringing her back. "Hang in there Seifer, I'm calling Tomé."

"I'll be fine..." Seifer let out a pained groan, looking down at the wound. "It's already closing... just focus on her...Zell! Don't sit there like an idiot – DO something!"

Instincts taking over, Zell straddled Nino's legs and lifted her into a sitting position. Seifer watched as Zell put his face close to hers. Selphie shot over to Seifer and with a medkit. She started holding gauze to his stomach and arms.

"Remember me? It's Zell, your friend, yeah?" He smiled, turning his head to keep her eyes in line with his. "Seifer's here, your new friends Quistis and Selphie are here too."

"Keep talking to her." Seifer's voice was giving out. He shifted to crouch closer to Zell. "Bring her back..."

Nino's breathing slowed the more Zell spoke. He brushed the baby hairs from her sweating face, keeping his eyes in hers. "Remember what I said in Balamb? About if Rinoa and Seifer were going to make out all afternoon that we would make puking noises off the balcony?" Zell amused himself, chuckling. He could feel Seifer's eyes on him. "We had a connection that day, yeah? Remember? I'm so glad you're back. I need someone like you as a friend."

He felt the patter resume and the color seemed to have been returning back into her green eyes. Nino blinked and she was there with them, like her light had been switched back on. Seifer released the chains around her and she instantly wrapped her arms around Zell, hugging him as tight as she could.

The gesture took Zell aback, the sudden closeness almost alarming. Selphie and Quistis both froze, fearful that she would slip back into a trance. He wanted to be afraid but... something about it felt right. That feeling only grew when he reached around and put an arm around her in comfort. His body relaxed and Zell found himself wanting to trust this connection they had.

 _What is this? What does it even mean? Who are you?_

Nino swallowed, her body trembling from the shock. She broke away, looking to everyone as they surrounded her. "What...? What happened? I can't remember..."

Zell turned to the corner, remembering the way she stopped, as if she saw a ghost.


	22. Obligations

Seifer looked down at his fingernails as he walked, seeing the blood from training underneath. His body ached, it was a feeling he had almost forgotten completely about, unable to remember the last time that he had felt anything like soreness. He cleaned out the dark blood from under his nails, walking to his living quarters. When he arrived he could smell the moisture in the air.

 _(F̸̨͢ìl͘̕t̀hy.̧҉̕ ҉̵V̶į͜͞l҉̨̀e̶͡͞.҉̀ Ẃ̀͝r̶o̵͡͞nģ͘.̧͡ ̷̶Ki͘l͢l̷͘ ̡í̵̡t̀͠.̷͞ )_

Nino stepped out in his white towel, a toothbrush in her mouth. Her hair was wet and her body clean. Artos' assistants had brought her luggage, a gown hung over the door frame of Seifer's bedroom. Her eyes were back to the healthy green they had always been. The way she looked at him so calmly made his skin crawl, he couldn't fight the voice from rolling into his mind. It was always present near her, unending.

 _(̧͘Giv̵̡͞e͜ ҉̛͠me̵̴ ̢̀c͟͡͞o̧͘ǹtr̴o͢l̸̡͢ ̶a͜͞͠n͟d ̡̧I̴͢ s̕͢͝h͠àl̢͝l ̧́͢e҉̕n͏͘͘d́͢ ͞thí͞ś͝ a̛͜b̸̢͜o̷̴͡mi͢͞n̨̡at̢i҉ǫ̴ņ̴.̛..̨)̷̀͞_

"What the hell was that Nino?" Seifer couldn't look at her without wanting to raise his voice. He went into his room and closed the door, stripping down. The shirt was the first to come off. His hands went to undoing his belt and pulled off his shirt when he saw in the mirror that his bleeding had stopped but the wounds were not closing. He saw the cut on his right cheek, the slices in his arms and chest looked like little ribbons, exposing the red underneath. How did he manage to not notice them before? His hands ran across the gash across his abdomen, wincing.

 _(͡S̨̕h͟͢e͏̧͞ h́̀a͏̵s ͏̀͢ţ̢a̷in̢t̵͜ed̴҉ ̶͟͠y͏̶͝o͟͞ư̷.̡)̴̧_

He hid the wound with his shirt when Nino slid the door open. She noticed his unease and looked to the wounds, pulling down his shirt. "You haven't started healing yet."

"I've been too distracted from you trying to kill me. What the hell was that?!" Seifer threw the shirt into the corner of his room, looking at the mirror. He seemed pale from the blood loss.

"I don't know... I saw that I was attacking you but I couldn't stop." Seifer felt her hands touch his skin, sending shocks through his body. He jerked back, his hands went up in defense.

 _(̸͜Ì͜t͡҉ ̨͠b̵͠ù̸r͢͠n̶ş!̀!͏)̢_

"Don't. I can heal on my own..." He held a hand to her as he concentrated in the mirror, channeling the energy and watching the smaller wounds close first. He looked to Nino behind him, her hands slowly approaching. She stood behind him, gently hovering her hands over his abdomen.

"Doesn't it hurt you to do this?"

"It'll be fine."

"How does it work?" Seifer tilted his head, watching her hands in the mirror.

"The healing?" Her hands began to tremble. "It...transfers it over to me. I feel it all over instead of just one area. I don't know how – we aren't given manuals..." Nino explained, her hands manifesting the red glow beneath her skin from the night before.

"Did you... did you ask for this?"

"...No."

"Are we human?"

"Not anymore." Nino clenched her jaw, letting out a pained moan. "The Empyral Infusion changes our DNA. I wasn't given much information on it..."

"Did it hurt you?" Seifer watched Nino fight through the pain. "When they infused you..."

"It was the worst pain I had ever been put through. Worse than..." Nino stopped talking, focusing on his injuries.

"Stop." Seifer pulled her hands away. He didn't want to cause her any pain. He watched the mirror, focusing his mind on closing the wounds.

"I had just watched Torrin kill my father. They beat me within an inch of my life and offered the choice of life or death. I chose life." Seifer watched her as she stepped aside. He looked back into his reflection.

"What was that, Nino? Are you... programmed? What is it exactly?"

"Syndicate is different now. We have simple rules: You follow orders or there are consequences. They put so much fear into you that death is no longer the thing you fear. What Torrin is capable of is a fear worse than death. They... have ways of hurting everything and everyone. They broke me. Torrin told me he killed you in Caraway's home. After that, I... it's hard to remember. Most of it is blocked away. I gave in. That's all I can recall."

"You completely detached. One minute we were sparring and the next you were going for my throat. Where did you go? I mean... I've never seen anything like it before... I thought you were going to kill me."

There was a long silence. He watched as she held her arms with her back pressed against the wall. Seifer's eyes trailed down to her belly, flat, firm. It wasn't how he last remembered her.

 _Where is our baby?_

"Your father killed her." He watched as her green eyes fluttered, looking to the mirror instead of him. "Oh, Nino..." The room's silence seemed to only get worse as she looked away. Seifer took in a long breath, stepping away from the mirror once he was healed. "I have to shower." He whispered, grabbing a towel and rushing to the bathroom.

Seifer hastily turned on the faucets of the shower, ready to be clean. Ready for the blood to wash off so he could be done with it all. Nino wasn't the problem. It was Syndicate. It was Caraway. It was his father. They stole everything from him and as he rinsed his hair he made a promise to himself to see them all dead before the evening was out.

He lathered up fast, not even taking the time to let his skin adjust to the hot water. Seifer didn't want to leave Nino alone for too long. His wounds were closed, leaving faint pink marks in the deeper ones. They would fade eventually, but Seifer was in no mind to try to force it to happen. The moment the stink of Training and the sweat and blood he collected on his body was washed away, he stepped out.

By the time he had dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, he heard his door to his quarters open. He stepped out, finding Squall, decorated in his High Commander SeeD Uniform. His bedroom door was closed, Nino must have hid. Her luggage and gown had vanished.

"You weren't at the Luncheon. People were asking for you." Squall folded his arms tight across his ribs. Seifer could feel his irritability in the tone of his voice.

Seifer paused, "I had other appetites."

Squall narrowed his eyes, the suspicious glare that stared Seifer down sent goosebumps down his spine. "Other appetites."

"This is news to you?" Seifer held onto the knot holding his towel together. He didn't like how Squall began pacing. "You seemed to have been dealing with it just fine, what's different about today?"

"It's a bit different when my brother-in-law Olivar Victarion makes comments about how Seifer Almasy was walking with a girl from his father's research team. That's when it becomes a problem for me." Squall looked to Seifer, studying him. "Funny thing is, the assistant was also not at the Luncheon and we can't seem to find her."

" _Olivar_ Victarion..." Seifer clenched his jaw, forcing a smile. "He's not exactly the man he's made himself out to be."

Squall dropped his arms, stepping forward. "What are you talking about?"

"Squall, Olivar... I caught him _with_ the assistant."

Seifer remembered wanting to drive spikes into Torrin's body until there was nothing left. He remembered watching Nino's fear as she became powerless underneath his older brother. Seifer remembered the restraint he had to force himself, pushing out the thoughts of the voice telling him to kill them all, to destroy everyone, to release it.

Squall's eyes seemed distant, cloudy. "Really?"

"I walked in on them. Olivar had this girl on the table face down, he tore her shirt open and was going to..." Seifer felt his skin burning, he needed to maintain, keep control. "He was going to hurt her."

"That's interesting because he told me he walked in on you doing the same to her."

Seifer blinked, "What?" He had to hold tight to his towel, feeling it slip.

"Olivar also mentioned that you dragged her back to your room. We have a few reports of you hurting her in front of other Operatives."

Seifer was laughing at the concept. "When have I ever needed to force a girl to do anything?"

"I'm going to be pulling in the Operatives you've recently been sleeping with. If I am to find any of them have changed their story I will be sending you straight back to D-District."

"Go to hell, Squall. I'll make it clear – the sex I've had? It's entirely consensual and absolutely _none_ of your business. I've never raped anyone." Seifer rolled back his shoulders, straightening his back. Inside his bedroom he heard the sound of a shoe dropping. Squall narrowed his eyes, looking to Seifer.

 _What in the hell is his problem? What has gotten into him?!_

Squall stepped forward, reaching for the door to his bedroom. Seifer stepped in front, towering over Squall's smaller frame. He snapped, pointing to the door. "Get the hell out. Now, Squall!"

"Seifer, unless she can speak in your defense, you leave me no choice but to detain you in the Disciplinary Wing until further notice. Open your bedroom door."

"No." Seifer's voice was low. He pressed his chest to Squall's, moving him backwards.

"Open the door. I command it!" Squall's voice was commanding, serious. "Seifer if you do not I will order my Operatives to do it for you after you've been detained!"

"Fuck y–" Seifer listened to the door slide open and hands wrap around his waist, Nino's soft touch. He could feel her bare skin on his back, sending shivers all over him. Her hands drifted to below his navel, locking together and pulling him close.

Nino peeked from behind Seifer's arms. "Oh, I didn't realize this was a party..." She giggled, her voice soft and melodic, greeting Squall with a sweet, coquettish smile. "Hello High Commander..."

Squall immediately put his eyes to the floor when he saw bare skin. "Eva, you're not being forced to be here?"

Her eyes grew wide. "Forced? No..." She curled her form around Seifer, exposing her naked body to Squall as she ran her hand along Seifer's hip bone. "He and I were playing a little game is all, we are both in complete control of the situation."

Seifer looked down, trying hard to maintain control. He felt his temperature rising, the pins and needles creeping down his arms and neck. Nino's eyes were cold, unexpressive. He turned back up to Squall, feigning the satisfied smirk on his face.

 _(̶̷͟D́͝ó͜͟ń'̵t̀ ̀͘f͜͝i̵̴͠g̵͠h̵͠t̸̷ ̷̴i͜t͢.͘͟͟.͘͢.)_

"She and I met during last night's dinner and, well, had some similar... appetites..." Seifer would have been amused but a vacant tone was the best he could do at this point. The hunger was coming back to him and it was making his mouth water the more he watched her body move. He chewed into his lip, tasting his own blood.

"Could he join us?" She purred, kissing his neck as she watched Squall. "Seifer, can he? Please?"

 _(̡́͜S̷̨p̛͝͡il̸͘̕l͏ t͝h̷̡e̡̧i̷̶͟r̡̛͢ ̧b҉́l̴ǫo̸d. ̸̷K͢ì̢͡l̸͠͞l̕҉ t̸̨h̴͠e̛͢m͢ ̢b̛͏̸o͞͞th̷́.̨͠.̴͟͟.)̵_

"Why not, Squall? I could use a tag-team partner on this one." Seifer's eyes were dilating, he held his body stiff as he forced out his words as calm as possible. "She's _feisty._ " Seifer forced open a suggestive grin, his tone was cocky but the splitting headache made his mouth twitch.

Squall shook his head, holding his hand up to shield his eyes from seeing Nino walking towards him. He slipped out the door as quick as possible. "I should go."

He watched as Nino sighed, walking to the door and making sure it was locked. Seifer's eyes landed on the two symmetrical dimples on her lower back shift and move with each step. He could feel his body want to react to it. The predatory feeling was drawing out, he swallowed, his saliva glands were working overtime. It hurt, everywhere.

 _(̵͠͞P͜us̡̛͟h́ ̴th̢e҉͘ ̵̡͢t̷̕h̕ou̡g̶̕h͢t̛̀s̢ ̷̸o̷͠ưt͏ ̴̨o̸͜f̧̡ ̸̧ýò͢u҉̴r̢͘ ̀͟h̨̛ę̸ad͞..͢.҉̢ t͟͢h͜e͘y̷ ̢͜m̛͢͝ake̡͢ ̨̕͠m͜e͟͠ ͢s̴̕i̕c̶͟ḱ.҉..͟)͘͞ ͘_

Seifer rubbed the back of his head, feeling the stinging pain. He clenched his other fist, getting the thoughts out of his head. Flashes of her beneath him kept flashing in his head as she brushed past him, a blur creamy skin vanished out of the corner of his eye. He knew that what just happened was an act, but it had felt violating to him that was all it was. Nino's eyes were vacant, dead when she seduced him.

 _Is that what happens to me?_ _Do I do the same when I use the influence?_

After a few moments, he turned and watched her slipping on her underwear. The dimples that peeked over the waistband urged him to softly groan, biting his lip. She continued to dress, obviously aware of his presence but did nothing. When she finished, her torso turned towards his, pulling her hair up as he watched her. He was hiding partially behind the door frame.

"Focus, Seifer." Her tone was firm, snapping him back, the urges vanishing.

"Oh, I'm focusing. Focusing on what's inside those pants..." His smirk faded when she made no reaction. She reached for his suit, passing the hanger over to his hand.

"We have a job to do." She was serious, cold. "And I need to get ready."

"I don't want you there."

"And do what? What if someone gets hurt?" She slipped on her boots, the ones she would be wearing beneath the gown. Just in case. "You have to trust me, Seifer. This is what I spent the last five years doing."

"And how will we spend the next five years?" Seifer looked to her sideways as he reached for a pair of briefs. She had her back turned away when he slipped them on. He didn't waste time putting on the pants. His head was throbbing too much to stand around.

Nino stopped dressing, standing upright. "I don't think that far ahead anymore."

"Neither do I..." Seifer brushed the damp hair from the back of her neck, his index finger ran across the freckle that had always been there. "Maybe we should start."

They finished getting ready in silence. Nino spent the majority of her time in his bathroom, drying, curling, styling her hair. He took a quick peek walking into his kitchen, watching her leaned over the counter as she applied her mascara with a deft hand, he looked down to watch for her foot to kick out as it used to. Seifer quietly laughed when it finally did.

He walked back into his bedroom and finished putting on the deep matte black suit. This time the collar fastened all the way up. This was a formal occasion, and he needed to look the part. He styled his hair, occasionally checking his hands as they continued to shake. "Come on...what the hell is wrong with you..."

 _(̕To̶ni̵g͡ht̡..͞. ̢y̵o͠u ̛wi͘l̸l̶ re̡l̵e̸a͞se͝ ḿe.)̴_

"NO!" Seifer slammed his palms into the dresser, leaning forward. "Shut up, shut up, shut the hell up..." He whispered through gritted teeth, his head hadn't stopped hurting. The pressure and the hunger was slowly trickling back in, filling his body.

Seifer felt his nose begin to trickle and stuck hand under his nose. The nosebleeds were becoming a frequent thing. Seifer fumbled for his bath towel, applying pressure and taking great caution in not making a mess on his suit.

 _(T̡o̶n͞igh҉t͘ ̛you͜ w̵il͟l ca͢l͞l̀ ̴up̛on m͡e.͡ ̴Yo̸u̡ ͡ẁill s̕ummo͢n me. I ̢s̶ha̛ll pr͞o̢tect͞ the o̸ne͡s̡ ̛yo͢u ̴l͘ov͟e̕.)_

He refused to summon it. Seifer knew it's name but refused to call it out, seldom even thinking it's name. The voice was always there, always telling him to kill, fuck, destroy. He was no longer feeling that control he thought he had. He heard a knock on the door and Seifer's eyes jumped to the mirror, watching his eyes as they dilated and returned to their color.

Another knock.

Seifer sniffed and pulled the towel away, wiping away any excess and clearing out his nose. He took a deep breath, another as he checked himself in the mirror. Devilishly handsome, regal, assertive, proud. Everything in order. He smiled, his gait confident as we went to the door. Nino and Artos.

"Father..." Seifer smirked, stepping out of his room.

"Everything well between you and our Empyral Agent?" Artos turned to Nino who kept her head low.

"Very well. I look forward to bringing her with us to Alnaj."

"Torrin will be returning with Ellone in Esthar for a short time so we will be traveling to our Compound in Gotland until he can return to Galbadia."

"Excellent." Seifer nodded, holding a hand behind his back. "Is there something you needed from me, father?" The word 'father' held no meaning to Seifer.

"I wanted to again personally apologize for Torrin's behavior. Lately he's..." Artos looked to Nino, who kept her eyes to the floor. Timid, void. "It seems the longer we are here, the more childlike he becomes. I gave him too much power at too young an age and it spoiled him. Now it's making me question if I want him in command as my Lieutenant." His father stepped forward, his eyes matched Seifer's but they were different, pale and strange, a hardness to them Seifer couldn't replicate. "There's something I must ask of you. Within you holds a power that is ancient and old. I hope that one day you will forgive me for ever putting you through that kind of pain."

 _It won't be long until you learn what that pain is exactly._

"The power I have now? I will take that pain again if it would only made me stronger." Seifer squinted his eyes to drive his point across. "Thank you, Father."

Artos turned, looking around Seifer's quarters. "Torrin isn't aware but... I have a gift for you when we arrive in Alnaj. If you are willing, we have begun studies on a new form of Empyral. If it shows to be successful, if you would want to undergo a secondary infusion, it would prove to make you unstoppable."

"Won't it kill me?" Seifer furrowed his brow.

"On the contrary, Empyrals have the amazing power of Regeneration. Your body would heal long before that. It isn't a painless procedure, but our efforts have been very successful."

"What is the power?"

"My legacy. A Guardian Force bound to the Almasy name. It has been a part of our family since the days of Seiferion. We are in the process of rendering the energy into a single Infusion. Consider it as... an early Birthday gift." He pulled the glove off his hand, extending it to Seifer. "You made me see that I have been putting my trust into the wrong child. Once we depart, I will begin the process of grooming you as my successor."

Seifer bent his knee to the floor, posturing to Artos, watching him stand taller. "Father, you honor me."

 _You disgust me._

"Torrin will not be a problem any longer. With this power you hold within you I am going to see that you will rule. We have managed to instill the energy, the life force of the Gift of Hyne within you. Embrace it, my son."

 _(͡He stole it͡.͘.̕. h͜e͜ w̴ant̀e̵d ͠to͜ ha̛r̷ne͟s̀s ͜i̷ţ.̷.̨.̢ ͝no͜ ̵o͡ǹe҉ ça̶n̢ ͏co͠nt́r̢ol i͝t͠...)_

Seifer clenched his jaw, the voice drowning out the world.

 _(N̨o͟ ҉mort͠al c̕an un̡de͢r͝s҉ta̷nd ̛t͏he҉ ̨p̕ower͝ t̢ha͡t̷ t̸h̛i̧s bl̴ood͜ ͟c͏o҉n͜tai͢n̨s. ͠Ìt͝'͟s p͏ow̴er,̡ ̡it͟'s e͝s͜şe҉nce.) ̵_

Seifer looked him in the eyes as he took his hand, shaking firmly. He stood, his other hand gripping his father's forearm. A wicked smile crept on his face. Artos laughed, turning to Nino.

"This is a big night for you, my dear." He cupped her cheek in his hand.

Seifer watched as Nino saluted Artos, taking a knee. "My life for Syndicate."

Artos permitted her to rise. "Perhaps we should consider the possibility of finding you a suitable wife."

Seifer glanced to Nino and turned back to his father. "I hadn't given it much thought."

"Our bloodline is powerful. Nino was a candidate for Torrin as a potential wife. The Mireille family is a strong blood line. And to have two Empyrals conceive children and create natural Empyrals? Your children would be beautiful, strong. It's the dream of any father to have his line continued..."

 _Over my dead, rotting corpse..._

"I will give you an answer on route to Galbadia. Let me think it over although, I'm sure you already know my answer." It was clear women weren't held in much regard to Artos. Seifer brushed a stray ringlet behind Nino's shoulder, noting her eyes on him.

"If I had been given the choice... to think of all this time we lost together." His father's eyes were almost sad.

"We have time now, Father." Seifer lowered his brow, reassuring. "Together."

"Let us begin." Artos turned to the door. "I will wait for you upstairs."

Seifer waited until the door was closed and locked to turn back to Nino. She let out a sigh, shaking her head.

"Do I need to give you permission to use the bathroom or take you out for walks too?" Seifer was sarcastic but still unnerved. Nino rolled her eyes, moving into the bedroom to finish getting ready.

As they exited Seifer's room, he kept Nino close by. He looked down at her, the dress she wore was a deep black taffeta, smartly accented with an inverted basque waistline in almost a rich plum color. Seifer felt the fastens holding her skirt together, meaning she could easily remove it should things get too intense and she needed to escape. He could feel the adamantine underlay beneath the fabric of her bodice when he held her by the waist. To throw off suspicion, the dress was decorated with a scatter beading of rhinestones, metallic beads, crystals, and sequins and finished with a back zipper. She smelled of magnolias, leather and steel.

He caught the attention of Zell who walked arm-in-arm with Selphie as she wore the brightest yellow ballgown Seifer had ever seen. They kept their eyes forward once they were identified, heading to the 2nd floor ballroom.

 _Right on time._

The plan was simple. The targets were the primary members of the Unified Council. Laguna, Squall primarily. Nino had gathered that the attack would happen either directly after the opening speech or toward the end. Seifer agreed when she assumed it was likely toward the end, it gave Syndicate time to assess and plan the strike perfectly. Artos had instructed for Seifer and Nino to stay on the dance floor and to move towards the exits once the moment they attacked.

Seifer had spoken with everyone before leaving the Training Center. They would break off into two squads. Squad A consisted of Seifer, Irvine and Zell – their job was offense, attack, taking out enemies as they came. Squad B's job would be to protect Squall and Laguna and the council members. Nino would get in, heal as needed while Selphie and Quistis took positions to defend should anyone get through Squad A. If possible, they would relocate people to a safer area.

The Assassins were confirmed Empyrals, so Seifer would have to use his power to stop them. Nino had remembered watching the training at the compound. Mere weapons weren't enough unless you had been a Superior Agent. Seifer didn't want to reveal the extent of his powers but if it meant keeping everyone safe, it was what needed to be done.

Once the strike was executed, the Squads would form in solidarity. Everyone was on board, in full support. Seifer smiled to himself, the feeling of being in command was fulfilling.

Artos met with Seifer as they passed him at the end of the hall. He spoke with the UC Operatives from the Omega Force Zell hated so much. He watched his father, how he glanced over, nodding to his son. Seifer nodded back, feeling Nino's arm tighten around his.

 _Irvine's job in all this is to make sure a bullet goes right between your eyes, old man. Or we go with Irvine's suggestion and disarm and arrest. Fair trials and all that..._

Seifer had assigned Irvine to take out Artos while the Empyral's were handled by him. Zell was to deal with anybody else who got in the way until he declared a personal vendetta on Torrin. Seifer knew he wasn't ready but Zell insisted that it had to be him. He made a mental note to keep close to Zell. He was slowly taking his time forgiving Zell for his disloyalty but he certainly didn't want to see him hurt. Seifer knew too well the consequences of blind rage. This needed to be executed carefully, calculated.

Once the Almasy's were taken out, Zell and Irvine would take Ellone, Rinoa and Alisa and recruit Kiros and Ward in recovery and getting them to safety. Seifer had seen Torrin's disappointment when he learned his first born was going to be a girl. It wouldn't be too hard to make something look too much like an accident during the attack.

He didn't think it would be too hard of a job with recovery. He had spoken with Matron on their way back to her room earlier that day. While she was hesitant and wanted to help, she agreed in returning home early with Cid. The last thing he needed to worry about was her safety. If he couldn't be a Knight for her now, he would still stand for her protection.

 _And should Caraway be killed in the line of fire, no one would give a second thought to the consequences. Whoops. One casualty. Sad for us all. We'll defeat the Empyrals, Artos and Torrin are caught, Syndicate is finished._

Seifer nodded to Irvine and Quistis as they entered the elevator. Seifer's signature smirk flashed towards Artos as the doors closed. Quistis pushed the button, looking glamorous in her red dress.

"Weapons?" Seifer asked, keeping his eyes forward.

"Already stored in the Ballroom. We'll be ready." Quistis adjusted her eye makeup, glancing to Seifer casually.

 _Job well done. I'll be a hero. Hell, we'll all be heroes. Nino will be safe, possibly pardoned for her crimes for saving Laguna and Squall... everyone wins. Who knows, maybe I get laid._

"What are you so smug about, Almasy?" Irvine winked.

"I'm just feeling really good tonight, Kinneas." Seifer breathed in, pausing to realize that he wasn't nauseous. It only took a second for him to realize as he exhaled.

 _Maybe I've gotten used to it... yeah._

"Really good." He squeezed Nino's waist, pulling her close as she smiled at him.

The elevator dinged and they stepped off, walking down the hall and joining the crowd of tulle, satin and tux.


	23. Trigger

Fireworks exploded in bright pops of color overhead as they entered. Seifer looked up, eyes on the moon as it was out in full that night. He smiled, looking over to Nino who was scanning the room. He squeezed her waist again, getting her to smile softly.

The dance floor was already filling up, dignitaries and politicians and their spouses dancing to the live music comprised of wood, brass and string instruments. Seifer could feel the vibrations in his feet from the sound of the low tones in the music.

They walked around for a short time, avoiding the press and live cameras that were rolling. He heard his name several times, dismissing with a wave. Seifer looked up, noticing that his hand had a tremor. As they passed the Shumi Tribe Seifer turned his palms down in a sign of respect. It was noticed by their Elder, who bowed graciously to Seifer.

Nino noticed the gesture. "What are you doing?"

Seifer rubbed his fingers in his palm, working out the small tremors, the lesson in etiquette was a good distraction. "Well, the Shumi Tribes commonly hide their hands with the palms to their body. They believe that their hands are their greatest tool and so to show them to another is a sign of great respect and honor. To flaunt them is in poor taste." The Shumi customs weren't commonly known to most people, he didn't expect Nino to be familiar with them either. His only knowledge had come from his days as a student in Garden.

Slowly Seifer had been circling back to the dance floor, his plan had worked. She was too busy watching around her to know where he had been leading her. "So, I spent a better part of an afternoon holding Irvine close against my body while he made dirty comments about my physique, whilst teaching me how to 'woo the ladies.'" He smiled gallantly as his hand extended out for hers, "Dance with me."

Nino frowned, being led to the dance floor. "Is this not serious enough for you?"

Seifer's smile eased back, holding onto her waist as she held his hand. He moved her from side to side, turning her with the tempo and flow of the music. "Come on, it's my way of getting you to dance with me." He paused, "Also, if we want to look around, we should be moving around too."

Nino scoffed, a smile playing on her lips as she let him take the lead. "You wouldn't even dance with me at Fu and Rai's wedding–" Her expression dropped as she looked at Seifer, his lips parting as he frowned, sadness glazed his eyes. "How... How did I forget about them?"

He pulled her close, pressing his forehead against hers. "We will avenge them all tonight. Fujin, Raijin..."

"Elia."

His eyes fully dilated as they went straight to Caraway, watching as he stood behind Squall, speaking with Justice Menelaus. Seifer released a shaky breath, holding Nino close. "...Elia."

 _Even if we fail... I will be sure that Caraway dies. Tonight. I have not forgotten you, old man._

 _(̷Y҉es͠.̵.̧.̴)_

–

Squall stood at the corner of the platform where the Unified Council sat. He stood tall as he drank his wine, watching the party. The calm in the midst of everything in the last few days gave Squall cause for concern. He couldn't remember if he had called in for additional security but he didn't see the need to. He shifted his weight as a hand went to his pocket, drinking his wine as he fumbled the ring in his pocket.

The sound of his daughter's laugh made him smile as he turned to see her dancing with Ellone, hugging her belly. Rinoa had not yet arrived, he scanned the crowd, looking for her.

He was nervous but didn't show it. His plan was to take Rinoa to the balcony, just as he had before and present her with the ring in his pocket. He even had the speech laid out:

" _Rinoa, we've had our problems, we've had our fights, but you're the woman that I love. You gave me a beautiful daughter and I want you to be my wife again. Sure, we'll fight and have our problems, but it's you that I want to be with. Will you marry me again?"_

If she were susceptible,

" _Also... I want to confess, seeing my sister's baby growing in her belly reminded me of when we first saw Alisa. It reminded me of how beautiful things were between us. After Ultimecia...no, I shouldn't mention her in a proposal... whatever, I can work around it. So, I want us to have another baby. Will you marry me or potentially consider at least building a partnership – no... a family. Ugh. That sounds so formal. Just keep it simple, Squall: Will you build a family with me?"_

He drank his wine, staring at the red in the glass. One of those had to work. He was hardly ever a romantic person so it had to have been one or the other. Squall looked to Quistis, watching as she smiled, nodding to him as she held Irvine's hand, listening to him speak to her in a low voice. Squall tilted his glass to her, taking another drink.

His time with Quistis had passed. He realized that when they last slept together. He cared very much for her, he had great love and adoration for her but it wasn't what he needed. And even Quistis was in agreement that it just didn't have the same spark. He needed stability, family, children. Squall couldn't believe that out of everything in his life, he wanted more children. Rinoa had made the comment during the Dinner that Alisa needed a brother and sister. Later that night after Seifer left she woke him up, confessed her love to him, apologized and they made up in the way that sent shivers down Squall's back as he remembered every moment.

"I need an answer from you eventually, Commander."

Squall was interrupted from his thoughts as Caraway moved to stand in front of him. He sighed, nodding his head. "I can't give you one tonight. We will discuss it in the morning at breakfast."

"It's very simple, we need more funding if we want to eradicate the Syndicate problem we've been having in Galbadia." Caraway sipped his whiskey. "I'm sending forces out there and they need upgraded equipment if they can't use magic or junctioning to be able to take care of the more skilled Agents. Our current spending limit is capped out, we need more."

"So then I will dispatch a squadron of SeeD for the higher level Agents. They are better trained to deal with Syndicate than your average G-Force squad." Squall just needed him to leave. He had been hounding him ever since he first arrived in Garden for the Summit.

"Squall," Caraway stood closer. "I need this and soon. Convince your father to give us more money or I can't promise support the next time the Syndicate should attack."

Squall turned to his former father-in-law, crinkling his brow. "Is that a threat?"

"It's just security and common sense, boy. Both of which you don't seem to have either of because you are allowing that _creature_ to run amok in your Garden."

He followed Caraway's pointed hand to watch Seifer with his date. When Squall recognized Eva he dropped his eyes down to his glass, the back of his neck and ears feeling hot when the vision of her naked body crept into his mind. He couldn't imagine in a hundred years that would ever happen to him. Caraway's presence had not yet left and Squall had enough.

"That _creature_ , is a human being. His name is Seifer Almasy and remember Caraway, it was _your_ men, _your_ people who captured and created him into whatever the hell he is. You're very lucky that we didn't vote to throw you off the Council." Squall shoved the empty glass in his hand, "Excuse me, General."

Squall moved to step down the stairs and onto the ballroom floor. He heard as Caraway called out to him, "Well, unless you produce a more viable option, it's the only choice you have."

He didn't care. He couldn't care because he finally saw the vision in white and blue silk that he had been searching for. Rinoa had curled her hair and pinned it back. Tiny rhinestones were delicately placed in her hair and around her eyes. Her makeup was dark with a natural lip color. Not a single detail out of place. She smiled seeing Squall and approached, her shy smile widened as she looked up, watching the fireworks explode overhead again. Squall stopped to admire the view. They both looked down to each other. He watched her finger point to the glass ceiling and he smiled, remembering the first time he had ever laid eyes on her. He took a breath, walking up and approaching almost timidly.

"Well, look at you...all this time and you're _still_ the best looking guy here." She winked, taking his hand. "Dance with me?"

"Come with me for a second." Squall held her close guiding her to the balcony.

The sky was brightly lit from the moon. Stars twinkled overhead as the Balamb summer breeze threatened cold fall to arrive soon. He felt her as Rinoa pulled him in, kissing Squall deeply. Her hands ran down his SeeD uniform, holding him close.

"Marry me." Squall exhaled the moment she broke away. He didn't mean for it to come out that way at all. Squall stammered, fumbling for the ring. "S-Sorry! I meant to give you this I uh...Rinoa...we've had... problems..."

 _Great. I've turned into my father. Just call me Laguna's idiot son from now on..._

"Squall." Rinoa held his hands, putting the ring back in his pocket. "I love you. I want to be with you..."

 _Don't do this. Please._

"I want us to try again but for now, can we just date? You have too much on your plate right now to deal with while trying to plan a second wedding." She smiled and kissed him again.

Squall found himself confused. "So..."

"I'm saying no... right now." She smiled, laying her head on his chest. "But, I wouldn't mind going home with you tonight. Think you can ask Seifer to babysit for us?"

The High Commander blinked, feeling his head jerk back in confusion. "Wait, you want _Seifer_ to babysit?"

"Seifer, Zell, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, Laguna – any of them. It's fine with me." She squeezed him. "I just want you to myself tonight. _All_ to myself."

Squall blew out the breath through his lips, shaking his head. He gave up trying to make sense of things. "I'm not even going to question it. Apparently you two worked out your differences at the party."

"Yep. We did." She grabbed Squall's hand, guiding him back into the ballroom. "He will always be an ass but I don't believe he could ever hurt Alisa."

–

Zell drank his water like he was drinking hard burbon. He watched as Rinoa and Squall walked back from the balcony hand-in-hand. He poured another glass from the pitcher, slamming the glass back down onto the white tablecloth. Zell checked his hands again, watching them shake.

"Zell." Selphie had been calling his name, patting his arm in comfort.

"Where is he? I need my eyes on him at all times." Zell looked around, drinking another glass. He clenched and unclenched his fist in several reps. It wasn't calming him down. He worried that it was working him up.

Selphie used her quiet voice, calm and soothing. "If you're nervous –"

"IT'S NOT..." Zell closed his fist, pressing it to his lips. "It's not nerves. I need to kill him. I don't care what happens, he needs to die. Five Operatives. FIVE. He almost killed me. You saw it happen on television but it was my reality..." He rubbed his scarred tattoo, sighing. "It's the things he did... the things he's done... I need to be the one to do it."

Selphie sighed, pressing her head to her hand as she leaned into the table. She continued to pat his arm. "Is this helping?"

Zell nodded, closing his eyes as his head lay low. "He almost killed me, Selphie."

Selphie pursed her lips, sitting closer. She moved a hand to his leg to stop it from shaking. "Zell," She held her breath, waiting for him to look up. "You need to relax."

Zell smirked briefly, shaking his head. "No, I need to express some rage. Some long... overdue...rage."

"Oh for heaven's sake, ZELL!" She took hold of his chin, pulling his face over to hers. "You. Need. To. _Relax._ " She tilted her head to the side, shooting him an alluring stare.

Zell's eyebrows scrunched up as he felt Selphie's hand moving up his leg. His mouth opened, quickly wetting his lips. "Aren't you, uh, I mean, don't you like, um..." He swallowed hard, suddenly thirsty.

"Girls?" Selphie smiled coyly, her eyes going down to his groin. "Well yes, but... I like boys too." Her eyes slowly went to his as her hand began to massage between his legs.

Zell's body was responding to her touch, making him let out a small hum as he covered his mouth, unable to fight off her advances. "Uh...S-Selph..." His voice cracked as his body tried to curl in on itself. He cleared his throat, sobering his thoughts. "Selphie, the mission..."

"Oh I know. Seifer assigned this to my detail. He said that I needed to take care of you first before you flew off the handle." She stood, grabbing his hand. "The bathroom is right over there..." She tugged and stomped her foot when Zell covered his face. "Come on! It's just a handjob... or a blowjob. Whichever one – won't take long!"

Zell groaned, his thumb to his lip as he blushed furiously. "I can't believe Seifer put you up to this... do you realize how embarrassing that is?" He pulled down his SeeD coat, trying to hide. It dawned on him they were already at the bathrooms before he could object.

"Seifer didn't put me up to anything, I've wanted to do it for a while now." She pressed her back to the door, slipping inside before him. Zell looked around, his eyes narrowing as he felt a hand pull him inside, locking the door.

–

Seifer smile grew wider when Zell narrowed his eyes to him. He chuckled when Selphie reached behind him and dragged him into the bathroom.

"I was just thinking about that night. Their wedding." Nino smiled softly. "It was the first time I had ever seen you in a suit."

"That's because I hate weddings." Seifer smiled, gracefully taking her hand and spinning her around.

"Even so. Your jaw still dropped to the floor when you saw Fujin in her dress."

"She looked so... not Fujin. Seeing her so dolled up with the hair and those eyelashes Raijin's mother made her wear..." Seifer chuckled. "Raijin... man, did you see how he couldn't put his arms down in that jacket?" He laughed a bit harder. Seifer smiled sadly, resting his cheek on her head as the lights dimmed, the blue lights that surrounded the dance floor illuminated the dancers as they slowed.

"Do you remember when Raijin's mother got mad?"

"And beat him with her purse because he ripped his jacket and she had to sew it together at the last minute? Then she got pissed because Fujin had pulled off those eyelashes and kicked Raijin for inviting her?"

Seifer let out a genuine laugh with Nino, feeling her moving closer to him. He pressed her body into his, feeling the ends of her hair tickling the hand on her back. They danced in time to the slow music as everyone else had but it felt like they were the only ones in the ballroom.

"Remember our first kiss?" Nino smiled, watching as he bit his bottom lip.

"Yeah." Seifer cocked his head to the side. "You were angry. You slapped me, wanted to know what I was doing in your room...I needed to kiss you."

"Will you kiss me like that again?"

Seifer swallowed, feeling his heart pulse. He cupped his hand to her cheek, his fingers running along her skin, tracing the line of her neck all the way down to her arm. His head closed in on hers, his eyes averted from Nino's and trailed down to her lips. Seifer parted his lips as they met with hers, the kiss slow and lingering. He opened her mouth wider and gently slipped his tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeper. Once their lips touched it was like they couldn't pull back. Electricity shot through his body when he felt her arms around his neck and her tongue was against his. The taste of her mouth was sweet, almost like a sweet wine as he kissed her once more, gently sucking on her bottom lip and slowly pulled away. Seifer was left breathless, closing his eyes as he pressed his forehead to hers.

Seifer opened his eyes and grabbed her hand, kissing her fingers as they began to dance once more. His eyes never left hers as she watched him. "Nino..." Seifer quietly cleared his throat, absolving the tight pressure. "I won't lose you again."

He brushed her cheek as the lights slowly illuminated the room once again. There was a bright flash and they cringed, turning to see a Press Member taking their photo.

"Sorry... one more? For Timber Maniacs?"

Seifer looked to Nino as she pleaded with him through her eyes. "Please?"

 _I hate how I look in photos..._

Seifer adjusted his coat and turned toward the camera, wrapping his arm around Nino and pulled her close, no smile. The bulb flashed again as Nino poked him in his ribs.

"A real one, this time."

Seifer gave a prideful, closed mouth smile as the flash went off. The photographer shook Seifer's hand and walked away. He turned back to Nino, laughing as he kissed her again.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I get one of those for the Dollet Observer?" Another photographer.

–

Quistis smiled, watching Seifer pose for photos. Ellone sat beside her, holding her belly as Irvine drank his wine.

"Is it just me," He tilted his hat back, winking at Quistis. "Or could Seifer be considering a pursuit in modeling after this?"

"I think it's kind of sweet." Quistis folded her hands and rested her chin. "I mean, it's Seifer we're talking about so you can tell that he doesn't want to do it but he wants to see her smile."

"Girls, man." Irvine took a swig. "Girls'll do it to ya every time."

"Who, Eva?" Ellone looked up, smiling.

"Uh, yes." Irvine pointed, "Eva."

"I'm not terribly familiar with who she is. She works in Centra with Artos." Ellone continued to pat her belly, "Wonder if Olivar's father will need to hire a new assistant."

"Why would he do that, sweetling?" Irvine and Quistis looked to one another as they turned, watching Torrin approach in his Olivar attire. They both smiled, Irvine offering his seat.

"Miss Eva. It appears that Seifer fancies her." Ellone pointed, singling them out in the crowd.

Quistis' eyes cautiously kept on Torrin's expression, watching as he wore a wide eyed tight smile. His hands sat folded across the table, hands clenched tight. She could have sworn she saw a tiny bolt of purple electricity pass between his palms.

 _Is he Empyral...?_

Quistis pulled her attention back to Ellone, smiling with her. She lifted her wine glass, taking a bigger sip than intended.

"That's so wonderful!" He laughed, looking to Ellone. "It reminds me of our love..." He leaned over, kissing her cheek.

Ellone giggled, her brown eyes batting to her husband. "So, are you excited for the big announcement?"

"There's a big announcement?" Irvine turned to Ellone, catching the tail end of the conversation. "What big announcement?"

Olivar caught onto Irvine's surprise. "If I tell you it wouldn't be a surprise." He winked, wrapping a hand over Ellone's frame, rubbing the belly. "I promise though, it's most certainly one to stick around for!"

"Wonderful! We wouldn't miss it for the world..." Quistis smiled, giving Ellone's arm a squeeze as she stood. "I need to visit the ladies room, please excuse me."

"Do you need me to join you?" Irvine leaned back in his seat, flashing a broad smile of pearly whites.

"Irvine!" Quistis covered her eyes. "You should be banned from being _anywhere_ near the ladies restrooms. I swear..."

Her smile quickly faded as she tried to walk as calmly as possible to the bathrooms, her chest was fluttering like a trapped hummingbird. The adrenaline that shot through her body caused her to feel unbalance. Quistis brushed past as Squall walked up the platform, carrying his daughter with Rinoa following. They didn't even notice her. Her eyes went straight to the bathroom door as it opened.

–

Zell walked out, releasing a heavy sigh as Selphie nonchalantly walked past him, heading back to the tables. She stopped, watching as he took his time to move his feet. "You're taking the fun out of it if you draw attention to yourself. Are you feeling better at least?"

"Oh, I still want to annihilate Torrin but I'm feeling really relaxed about it." Zell smirked, walking next to her. "Are you sure you're...?"

"Oh, after this is all said and done, you're paying me back." She stuck her tongue out. "Maybe I'll invite my girlfriend."

"Oh. Cool..." Zell scratched his head and bolted straight up. He wasn't entirely certain that he had heard her correctly. "You have a girlfriend!?"

Selphie leaned in, " _She_ likes boys too..."

Zell stifled a grin, shoving his tongue into the side of his mouth. As he drew in a breath for a response Quistis bumped into Zell's shoulder. "Oh! Quistis! I'm so sorry –"

"Get into position, it's starting now."

"What?" Selphie turned, noting Quistis' wide eyes.

"It's happening right now!" Quistis hissed, ducking into the bathrooms.

Selphie followed behind Quistis. "Go get Irvine."

As the music stopped, the ball room came to a standstill. Waiters and waitresses moved around, passing out glasses of champagne. Seifer grabbed for two, handing one to Nino. He held her close, looking to the platform.

 _Rupert Menelaus, Eliza Peylt, Artos Almasy, Laguna Loire, Squall Leonhart, Alisa Leonhart, Rinoa Heartilly, Fury Caraway... they are all there..._

Seifer guided Nino to the center of the ballroom as a crowd gathered. Laguna stood, making his way to the front.

 _(Can̨ ̨yo̶ú f̨e̷el͘ i̡t?)_

Seifer kept a watchful eye. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Television cameras were rolling and cameras flashed around them, all pointed to the platform

"You know, this Summit has been extra special for me. I wanted to make mention as our time here comes to a close. This is my son's first time hosting all of us, and so far I think he's done a pretty damn good job."

The crowd around them clapped. Seifer smiled as Alisa hugged Squall as he nodded to his father, raising his glass. Laguna tilted his glass to Squall, turning and placing a hand in his pocket. He stood casual, talking with everyone on a personal level.

"Seeing the closeness and the love here tonight, it's made me proud on so many levels. It's the love that urged me to form the Unified Council with these fine people, it's compassion and innovation for a better world that's brought us all here. We have heard some amazing ideas, discussed plans for the future and by this time tomorrow, when you're home with your families, please remember what brought this all together. Love. Compassion. Innovation." He held his up his glass, "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Nino and Seifer tipped their glasses, taking a sip of the champagne.

"If you'll bare with us for just a few more moments, one of my dearest friends, Artos Victarion would like to say a few words.

Seifer felt the thud in his chest as the glass left his lips. He looked up, watching his Father stand with his champagne.

"I don't like this..." Seifer spoke under his breath.

 _(͟Yóu do ̨no҉t͠ l̴i͘ke̢ ͟su̕r͢p̢rise̵s.͜.̢.̢) ̴_

"I am not a person who goes out of their way to address a crowd but..." He looked to his feet, humble. "Laguna makes it look so easy. I'm surprised he didn't wind up with one of his infamous 'leg cramps.'" Everyone laughed as Laguna stood, pretending he had one coming on. He smiled and sat back down. "But I know all of you very well. My work brings most of us together. I know your husbands and wives, brothers and sisters... daughters..." Artos' eyes moved to Seifer's. "Sons..."

"What is he doing?" Nino whispered, her hands gripped Seifer's jacket.

"Most of you know the first part of this story but, twenty-three years ago..."

 _No..._

"I lost my boys. They were kidnapped, taken away from me in. My family, we sailed around Centra, tracking the thief down until we managed to find one of my sons. Olivar was skin and bones, running along the beach looking for food. We asked him where his younger brother was and when we made it back to the house where they had been held captive, my youngest was gone. We had assumed that he died..."

 _(̀L̢ies͏.̸ ҉H̶e̶ ͜sp͜eaks ͡fi͘ĺth àn̸d̴ ͠li̸es͜.̵ Y͟o̷u ̴k͡n͟ów҉ ͜wh͡a̸t ̴happen҉e҉d.)͘_

Artos pulled out a red handkerchief, blotting his eyes. "Sorry, this is really hard for me to say..." He laughed, looking to Seifer. "My team of genealogical researchers discovered something astonishing. They discovered that my other son was taken to an Orphanage. The very one that Cid and Edea Kramer kept..."

Seifer couldn't listen to anymore. He looked around the room, unable to detect anything out of the ordinary. Zell and Irvine stood close by, giving slight motions to indicate they were ready. Quistis and Selphie stood by the platform, dressed for battle hiding near the stairs. Slight gestures. Good. He watched as Alisa rested her head on Squall's shoulder, Rinoa rubbing her back. Laguna watching Artos as he spoke, Ellone and her hands holding her baby belly. His eyes landed on Torrin with his wicked, evil smile. He held up his glass to Seifer.

"Seifer Colin Almasy!"

Seifer watched as everyone turned the attention on him. Cameras flashed, cameras rolled and everyone held a glass, applauding. He felt Nino cringe, slowly clapping as she smiled. He looked to Ellone, her mouth open as she looked to Torrin, mouthing 'no way!'

 _(͘͟T̶͞H͘̕͝E̸͟͜͢ ̛̀͡͝E͘͠Ḿ͘͞P̶̛͟͜Ý͡R̵̕͠͝A̷͜͜Ĺ̷S̢̕̕͠͠!̸͟͞ ̴́͡T҉̵̨́H̡͜͜͠E҉͏Y̛ ̷̶̵͘͢A͏̷̶̸R̷̢͠Ę ҉̢͝C̴̕͢O̸̶̕M҉͞I̴͘͢N͘̕G͘̕͢!̸̀͢҉!̧̛͡!̀̀́̕͜)̶̕͜_

Seifer put his glass up, smiling and nodding to everyone as he felt the surge shoot through his body. Nino caught the reaction as his hands started to tremor. "What is it?"

"The Empyrals are coming." Seifer clenched his jaw, forcing the smile as he waved big to Alisa who held her hands to her cheeks.

Artos raised his glass high, along with everyone else. "With that, I want to say that I am with Laguna on this speech. Love, Compassion and Innovation is what brings us together. But family?"

He whipped the red handkerchief, Nino's gaze seemed to have instantly been drawn to it. "Family is what keeps us from falling apart! And so in Centra, as we say, _Prosit_!

 _Writhing, gnashing, the infusion, the energy, the pain... the mission. Objectives:_

Nino stepped forward, her hand and glass still in the air.

 _Target. Squall Leonhart, High Commander of Balamb Garden. Execute._

 _Target. Squall Leonhart, High Commander of Balamb Garden. Execute._

 _Target. Squall Leonhart, High Commander of Balamb Garden. Execute._

 _Target –_

Nino's mind went dark, her thoughts were empty as the whole world went black.

" _Prosit..."_ Seifer's tilted his head, getting ready to down the last of the champagne as he watched Nino's glass still in the air, completely still. "Nino?" He took a step around her, looking into her eyes. Seifer watched as the color dulled, the same way she looked into his in the Training Center. He watched the glass fall from her fingertips, shattering on the floor.

In an instant, Seifer's body was thrown back. Her push sent him flying with strength he never knew she had. Something powerful awakened in her. He lifted his head, his sternum shot a sharp pain in his chest. He looked up in time to watch her reach under her bodice, the crowd separating as she stepped forward, stepping out of the skirt in a fluid motion. She carried with her a holster that strapped daggers on her lower back, a pair on her thighs. Gilded, black matte.

Nino locked her eyes on Squall, she walked slowly, approaching. She spoke the Old Estharian, like a prayer. "Actus me invito factus non est meus actus..." She spoke in a low tone, reaching behind her. "Ad mortem." She ripped the blades out from behind her, walking in full speed toward Squall.

 _(͏́́͘͡L̶͡E͏̢̢T҉̷̡̕͡ ̀͠H̴̀͝Ȩ͝R̸̴̷̀͢ ̢̛̀͘K̸I̵L̶͘͜L̨͡ ́͘͢H̷͞҉̨I̸͜M̡̛͘͘͝.̧̕͠)̡͘͢͠ ́_

"NINO!" Seifer scrambled towards her, pushing people out of the way to get closer. Quistis and Selphie stepped in front of her view.

Selphie whipped Strange Vision, holding it in defense as Quistis lashed at her with her whip. Nino deflected Quistis' whip, ripping it right out of her hands. She ran to Selphie and with a spin kick had her on the ground, blade to her neck. Selphie screamed and in an instant black tendrils wrapped around Nino's throat, chains ripping her backwards and slamming her into the wall.

Quistis and Selphie both looked over to Seifer, watching as he stood, the black matter surrounded him.

"SEIFER!" He looked to Squall as he stood, his eyes moving behind Squall as Nino stood to her feet.

Seifer thrust his hand forward as the tendrils released, whipping and reaching as they wrapped and encased Nino. His concentration was broken as a ball of fire shot towards him. The Empyrals.

–

The lights in the ballroom were suddenly out. They heard the sound of the energy powering down and the participants began to panic. Irvine turned to the sound of several loud bangs all one after another as the exits of the ballroom slammed shut. A blue barrier surrounding them. "Zell?" He unholstered two revolvers.

Zell fastened his gloves, slamming them together. "Yeah. Let's do it." He sprung to the air, running toward the shadows as they crept out from behind pillars and curtains. Empyrals.

They represented the elementals. Water, Thunder, Earth, Ice and Fire. All dressed in Syndicate garb, all slowly casting their magic, building it for the attack.

–

Seifer turned to Nino, dropping his shield from the fire blast. The party attendees were scattered, panicking as they searched for a way out. He watched as she lifted her body, staggering into a full sprint. Seifer manifested a wall and she burst through it, blade slicing into his arm as she barreled past. He felt the vibrations of her blade sing as she whipped by him. Seifer extended his arm, tendrils wrapping her waist and throwing her back. She hit the wall, rolling to the floor.

Seifer felt the blast of a freezing ice shard hit cut through his skin as an Empyral appeared, attacking him. He reached up, touching the gash across his face. He turned his neck to the female Empyral, feeling the wound close almost instantly.

 _(̷͞DO̢ ̶̕N̛͝Ò̵T̢͠ ̷̡AL̴LO̧͜͢W ̛T҉̀H́̕͜EM͏̀͡ ̧̕͞T̡O̢ ͏̧̀H̴͝Á͜ŔM̢̛ ̶̨̡T̸H͜͝I̸͝S̸͘͟ ̸͡B̧͠Ǫ͜͠D͘Y͘.͞)̶͞_

Seifer felt his eyes shift and change. Bladed jagged chains lashed out before he had time for them to manifest. They ripped and punctured through her body. Ripping her to shreds. Blood sprayed and muscle, sinew, bone and intestines were scattered in all directions; causing full blown terror in the ballroom. He shuddered, looking to his hands.

 _I didn't do that... I had no control...I swear I_ –

"SEIFER!"

Quistis called to him as she scrambled to her feet. Nino was already on the platform, her blade lunged into the air. He heard the piercing scream as Alisa cried out. Squall grabbed his daughter, shielding her from harm.

Seifer ran toward her, his hands out as he wrapped Nino's wrists in chains. He retracted, dragging her across the table, more chains gathered and piled around her. He slammed her to a pillar. The chains shattered as she slumped down. He knelt down, checking to see if she was still in her trance.

"Seifer Almasy. Target." Her head lifted, looking at him with the dead stare.

 _(I ̴will̨ des̸tr̡o͢y thi҉s ͠f͠i͞lt̸h!͢!̴)̸ ̀_

"You will not! Come on Nino... come at me." He raised up, the matter manifesting beneath him as she scrambled and climbed at him. If he could distract her long enough...

Seifer ripped off his jacket, throwing it down as he loosened his tie. He needed to be able to move and bend if he was going to fight Nino. He ripped off the vest and shirt, baring his torso. If he could give them time, if she found him as a target instead of Squall, he'd do it. "GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" Seifer commanded to Selphie and Quistis, manifesting tendrils to keep her distracted. With each step he took backwards, the fluid matter solidified, creating a spiraling mass.

–

Quistis snatched up Save the Queen. She climbed over the table, pulling Squall, Rinoa and Alisa underneath to check them for wounds.

"What the fuck is happening!?" Squall held his daughter tight. "Quistis?!"

A blast of water hit the wall, spraying down everyone. Quistis wiped her face, looking over the table at the Empyral coaxing her out. "Just... stay here. We need to contain this!"

Quistis stood on the table, whipping Save the Queen over her head, once, twice and lashed out, the bladed tail of her whip wrapped around the Empyral's neck. She pulled back hard, pulling the Empyral to the ground. She jumped down, pulling until she heard a crack and the body went limp. "Two down..." Quistis panted.

–

Ellone and Torrin hid between the table and the platform. He held her close, reassuring her everything was fine. A wicked smile played on his lips as chaos ensued.

"TORRIN ALMASY!" Zell stomped his foot, his fists ready to shed blood. He struck the metal ends of his gloves together over and over, quickly increasing his tempo, until they were glowing with heat. He watched as Torrin turned, standing as Zell charged him. He looked down, watching as purple flashes of electricity shot through Torrin's arm and hands. He stopped, "You're Empyral..."

"Yes..." Torrin caught his gaze, pulling off his glasses as he held a hand to Zell. Quick zaps of electricity popped between his fingers. "Here, let me mark you again... Maybe I should carve out your tattoo. It's a _nice_ tattoo. I _like_ it. I think I want to _keep_ it!"

Zell felt fear, his fists dropping as he felt the bolt hit his chest. He launched back, screaming, the pain burning him inside out.

–

Seifer slammed Nino down, burying her in black matter as he looked to see Zell falling to his knees, convulsing in a blast of lighting. "ZELL!" He watched as Torrin stood over him, a blinding purple building in power in his hands. Seifer threw his hand out, firing a bolt of dark energy. In his moment of distraction, Seifer felt Nino sink a blade into his chest.

 _(͘͝͞H͢͡ó̧w ͘D̸A̡̢R͝E͏̵ ͡y͡͏o̸ù̢ ̧g̛͠iv̵e ͜͢͞t͜h̀͘i̛͏́s ̵̵v̴̢í́҉l̸̸é́ c̸̢̧r̢̕é̛a͘t̴̛u̵̕r̵e͝ ̸͞t͏ḩ͟e̢͟ ̴̡ś̡at̨̛̕į͟s҉f̷a͏ct̷i̛ó͢n̶! ͘͟҉N͞ơ͠҉..̶͝ ņ̀o̸.̵.̧.̷͞Ǹ̶O̷!̡͟!͘͠͡!͢)̢͞ ̵_

Seifer sharply cried out, she was on his back as they fell. Her arms around his neck, choking him. The black matter shattered around them, dissipating as he ripped the blade out, watching the energy heal his torn flesh just as soon as the foreign object was gone. The pain was still there and he moaned, black blood spilling from his chest until the wound was completely gone. He took the blade and hurled it into the shadows, turning to Nino. He balled up his fists, feeling the thick plates of black energy forming into a solid force.

 _(͢͢Y̧͢͞E̷̕͢͟Ş͞.̛́ ̀͢K̢҉͏͠I̴̧̛͢͢L̵̴̵L̢̢̛̛͘ ̛́͝H̀҉E̛͞͞͠R̢̛͘͢͝!͞͞!̷̴̢͟!̴̸̢́͢)̸̀͏̷_

He didn't need her dead, he needed her unconscious. The blow threw her back, leaving her like a rag doll. It killed him to strike her down but Seifer had to stop the chaos around him, turning his attention to the Empyral that charged toward him with a blast of fire. He put his shield up, waiting for it to pass over him.

Suddenly there was a violent surge through his body and he was knocked to his knees. He saw the vision before they manifested, a vision that revealed the Guardian's weapons of death. Double bladed Scythes raised as the creature took his stance, just as Seifer did.

Seifer snapped his eyes open, searing pain ran across his body as he looked to his hands, watching as they formed the two double edged scythes from his vision, their edges jagged and sharp.

 _(̵̸I̧̡ ͢c̸͡͞o̵̡mm̶̡̛an҉d̴̛͡ ̨you̶͢.҉̡.̀͢͞.̕Y҉̕o̡̕u ̷͟w̵i̡l͘l ͘u̵̷̡ş̡ȩ͜ ̕m̷̵͟y ͟g͠͡ifts̕.҉̢͘..̷̛͢)̧́͘ ̧_

He leapt in the air to avoid the fire blast. Seifer spun, holding the scythes and whirled the blades across the Empyral's torso, eviscerating them. He turned, watching as another was coming for him. Seifer's growl was vicious, unnatural as he charged. Blood rage filled his mind, the taste of blood drove him into his frenzy.

Seifer was going to do this his way. He slammed the scythe's together, shattering them as he watched the Empyral cast quake, sending their hands into the marble floor and pulling it up, causing tremors that knocked everyone in the room to the floor. Seifer launched upwards as the wave came for him. He lifted his legs, watching as the marble cracked and boiled upwards. Dust flew in the air as he landed, he turned to his hand watching, manifesting the energy as large pulsing spikes. Seifer shoved his hand down into the floor, watching as a line of black spiking, the volatile pulsing substance shot directly toward the Empyral, throwing it back. The Empyral rose, charging.

 _(͝S͜h͠͝ǫ̸w̛͟ ̸̢m͘e͢͜҉ y̕͜o͠u҉r͘ ̛̛͝s͞tŗe̸͏ng͏t̸̕͠h̛͘.̕ Pr͜ǫv̡e̛ ͏i͜t̕ ͟t͡͝ơ̴̸ ̨͟͢m͜e͘͢.͘)̛_

They were much stronger than he had thought. Seifer lifted his hands, the scythes appearing in his arms again as he reared back and began to spin. Something in him told him what to do, how to fight. Seifer tasted the bitter blood on his lips as he whirled toward the Empyral.

Irvine looked to Seifer, watching as his body rippled as he spun, hooked chains manifested and whipped through the Empyral before her electricity blast could hit him. He held up his revolvers, unsure who to shoot. He looked to Seifer who was bombarding the Empyral at the door, going in for another spin attack, his blades manifested back into double edges scythes as they shredded through, separating the body.

"Quistis! Seifer has the doors open! Get them out of here NOW!" With the barrier down, Irvine was able to direct Quistis and Selphie to get everyone to safety. He turned, looking to Ellone. She was on the ground unconscious. "Sis!" He flipped the table, she had a cut on her face, and a pool of blood between her legs. "Oh, Hyne... no!" He lifted her up, taking her to the platform with Squall and Quistis. "I NEED HELP!" Irvine looked to the dance floor, his heart sinking when he saw Zell on his back. He didn't seem to be breathing. "ANYONE?! HELP US!"

–

Seifer wiped the blood from his eyes, turning to find Nino standing.

"Seifer?" She staggered, her broken nose healing as she looked to him and the dead Empyrals that lay around her. She fell back, stunned. Absolutely no memory, just like last time.

" _Somnium_!"

Seifer turned, watching as two teen identical twins appeared. Syndicate. Empyral. Red hair and alabaster pale. As Nino collapsed, her light switched completely off. The twins lifted her, dragging her out. Seifer charged, stopping when they cast a wall of electricity.

Seifer's eyes darted, trying to find a way around the wall. It didn't appear to be one. It was a complete grid of death. No room to slip in between.

"HEY!"

Seifer looked, watching as the twins had waited to get his attention.

"They call us Ortzi and Orzu. Witness true power."

"STOP!"

Seifer looked to the balcony, hoping that if he jumped he would land on the asphalt in front of Garden, potentially shattering his legs as his best outcome. He had to think before he lost Nino a second time. Seifer took a few deep breaths before taking the running jump off the edge.

His body flew straight down, his hands manifested from the ground up as Seifer felt the impact of the blow softened by a closer hard surface. The manifested platform shattered and the remaining fall sounded wasn't as bad. Standing was a larger challenge than the fall. As his body healed he made it to his feet blood oozed out of his mouth. Black.

 _Have...to...keep...going..._

Seifer didn't give his body time to rest. He shifted to his feet, his body broken but healing. He watched as they were leaving out the main gate. He followed, slowly picking up speed. His body racked with the levels of pain of everything he could have ever imagined. He was afraid of stopping, he was sure he was running on pure adrenaline.

 _(́͝͞Ỳ̸́o̶͝u̧͞͠ ̷h̷͟ą́͟v͡é̷͝ ̢w̸̕eak̵҉̧ené҉d͠ ̸͜͝u͟͡ś҉̛.̸͝.̶̢.̡̀ ̨̡͞G̵҉o̷҉͡ ̢̡͠no̕͜ ́̀f̧u͢r̡͞th̢e͏̀r̢͡.̡.͢.͠)̸̧ ͏_

"NiNO!" He watched as they turned the corner out the first gate. Seifer tried to draw in air but it felt like shredded glass in his lungs. Stumbling he tried to keep going. He heard the sound of his miserable tracking bracelet alarming him of the perimeter. He looked down, his exposed ankle pulsing red. He pressed forward until he watched as they left in a small transport airship. The markings unfamiliar. Alnaj most likely. As the ship left he collapsed to his knees. He lost her. Again.

" _Remember our first kiss?"_

Seifer's breathing was labored. It was the hardest he had to fight in a long time. His hands went to his body, realizing he was a walking corpse. Riddled with wounds that he was surprised he was able to be alive. He hadn't healed anywhere as much as he had imagined. It was becoming harder for him to get a breath of air. He coughed, blood spilling out. Bright crimson red in color. His blood.

" _Will you kiss me like that again?"_

"Nino..." Seifer looked up, watching as Operatives surrounded him, weapons drawn. He swallowed, his body numb, his mind unable to decipher reality and dream. Slowly, finally giving up, he closed his eyes as his head fell back, it was only a moment and suddenly he was gone. His last memory of happiness was the last thing he recalled before floating.

In Seifer's mind, he knew it as Death.

It was quiet.

His body relaxed as he floated in the nothingness.

Nothingness as he entered the void.

* * *

This story continues in Legacy: The Rift available in my list of published stories. Thanks for reading! - Synnove D.


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